#giles x reader

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Last Updated: 30/03/3026

Masterlist

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Wrong Place

[space-helen]

Wrong Place

Words: 1224

Pairing: Rupert Giles x Reader

A/N: Second fic of this new 'era'!!!

Request: Giles x reader. Finally have a night off together. Reader injured somewhat and he's doting on her please. cute and fluffy

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“Y/N, I grabbed those biscuits I was talking about.” Giles called across the house as he closed the door behind him. 

Moving across the house he placed his keys down on the sideboard, slid his shoes off and placed his jacket on the coat rack.

Switching the light on in the kitchen he put some water on the boil for some tea as he put the groceries away. 

“Y/N. Are you ok?” he called softly as he poked his head into the corridor to peer across to the living room. Upon hearing no response he moved towards the entrance of the room. He caught a glance of you immediately, curled up on the sofa, eyes closed and head lolling. Smiling he moved back to the kitchen and carried on preparing the hot drinks and bringing them through with the biscuits. Gently placing everything down he slowly and carefully slid into the seat next to you.

Leaning forward to the coffee table he picked up the remote and turned the TV down a little before picking up his book and settling into the seat beside you. It didn’t take you long to stir. Sitting up slowly you gave the man a wonky smile. 

“Rest well?” he mused as he leaned forward to pick up his mug.

You made a noise of agreement “How long have I been asleep?”  “Assuming you fell asleep not long after I left? Probably about forty minutes.” Placing his mug back on the table after taking a drink he offered you yours. Thanking him you took a big drink of your own before accepting a biscuit from him. Adjusting yourself carefully you cuddled yourself against the man and he put his arm around you. “How’s the leg? Need any more pain medication?”

“It hurts but it’s bearable as long as I don’t move it, then we have another story on our hands.”

The man placed a kiss on the top of your head. “You’ll let me know if you need anything right? Not bottle it away like usual?” he teased.

You nodded against him “Actually… could you help me get to bed?” 

The man slowly unwrapped himself from you and silently helped you to your feet. After a couple of painful and unsteady steps with his support you admitted defeat. “I might need more help.” 

Without another word the man had picked you up and was carefully carrying you to your room. The past couple of days since your injury, a massive gash up your calf and a wound to the same thigh, he’d been doting on you and you didn’t want to take it for granted. He’d helped you as much as he could and today was the first time you’d ventured downstairs. He’d carried you around before to help but you could never quite get used to the feeling.

Before placing you down on the bed he gave you a kiss to the head again. As he placed you down he tucked some hair behind your ear. “Let me grab the drinks and my book. Will you need anything else?”

You shook your head and gestured for him to leave. Taking off the cardigan you’d put on earlier you changed into your pyjama top that you’d left on the bed. You hadn’t dressed up but you’d wanted to feel like you weren’t in pyjamas today even if you were still in pyjama shorts and a comfy shirt and cardigan. Wiggling on the covers you soon got yourself into a comfortable position, just in time for Rupert to return to place your mug on your bedside table and offer you a biscuit again. Happily taking one you ate it as you watched him get changed himself. This wasn’t unusual, the two of you had fallen into a pretty domestic pattern over the past couple of months.

Settling beside you he took a sip of his own drink again “We should probably take a look at and change the dressings this evening. If that’s ok? I don’t want you getting an infection.”

“Can you at least let me finish my drink first?” you joked and the man playfully rolled his eyes.  Before long you allowed the man to look at the wounds. You winced as he positioned your leg gently into a more accessible place, apologising as he did so. You watched as his hands moved to unwrap the bandage from around the dressings. You could feel the pressure it was keeping on it slightly releasing but pain blistering to the surface.

Lolling your head back and looking at the ceiling the man peeled off the dressing, happy that it seemed to be less blood soaked than it had been, a sign the wound was finally healing. After removing the dressing on the first wound on your thigh he quickly went to work cleaning up the minimal blood from the outside and quickly re-dressed it. 

Then he moved onto the larger wound on your calf. He re-positioned your leg and apologised again. Moving as quickly, but as gentle as he could. The wound was doing its best to heal, he could see the scabbing pulling at your skin and had no doubt that’s why it was so difficult, and sore, to move about. Tidying up this wound you were re-dressed in no time.

Allowing the man to help you get comfy again he placed the blankets over you before disposing of the dressings. Coming back to bed he slid in beside you and placed his arm around your shoulders, pulling you into his side. Picking up his book with his free arm he wrapped the arm over your shoulders around your side so he could read his book in front of the two of you.

You skimmed the pages as he silently read. Occasionally he’d move and place a kiss on your head.

“Do you need anything else?” he whispered.

You shook your head against him “Do you have plans tomorrow?” you questioned.

“No, I’ve made sure everything’s covered. You have me for most of the day. I have to meet Buffy in the afternoon but I was thinking that she could meet me here? If that’s ok with you?”

“If that means I get more time with you, and get to see Buffy, that’s totally fine with me.”

“She blames herself for your injury. She’s really upset with herself.” “It was my fault.” you said quietly. “I shouldn’t have been there. I probably wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for her.”

The man swallowed audibly. He knew that. You were very lucky that Buffy had realised what was happening when she did. A couple of minutes longer and you definitely would have been dead. 

“I love you Y/N.”

“I love you too.” you replied. Settling yourself into the bed and him more. Allowing him to get back to reading your eyes continued to skim the pages and before long you were asleep. 

Rupert took a second to admire you, he’d truly do anything for you and hated to see you injured. Putting his book down he brushed your hair behind your ear before turning off the bedside lamp. It wasn’t the comfiest position for him to sleep in at all but as long as you were comfy and happy that’s all that mattered to him right now.

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Tag List: (open) All: @asgards-princess-of-mischief @trippol-threat @captainsophiestark  @justsomerandomfanfic

[ghostbustersfan10]

The librarian

Rupert Giles x reader

Tw: Obsessive behavior, a sprinkle of stalking. (Nothing that bad)

Starts under the cut

Sunnydale. 

A small town in California with a population of 38,500 people who seem to all somewhat know each other…as well as my new home. 

I needed a job and Sunnydale High School reached out to me about  being a technology teacher since the teacher who used to teach it, Mrs. Calendar, had died recently and a student was doing the position. I felt a hint of unease at the fact that the previous teacher had died but I took the job since I needed to support myself somehow. 

Here I was, driving through my new town in my worn car. I sighed. I was going to be living in such a picture worthy town, wasn’t I? The only thing that ruined the picture was the fact that some of the shops and places had broken windows while others were just broken down completely and not in business anymore. 

Another unsettling fact was how many cemeteries there were in Sunnydale: 12 in total littered around Sunnydale at every twist and turn of the streets. It was a little creepy, the fact that there were more dead citizens than living ones but that’s just a fact that I had to get over if I was going to be living here for an indefinite amount of time. 

I drove up to the apartment that I was supposed to stay in and the owner just left the key under the mat with a note that said: No pet. That’s all? Whatever, I didn’t have any pets anyways.

I opened the door and sighed. This is where I was going to be living for as long as Sunnydale High School needed me to. 

The apartment had carpet that seemed to be faded and old and the furniture in the place, which I’m guessing the last tenant left, were old fashioned and outdated. The kitchen appliances needed to be kicked a few times before it could kick start and the light switches were knobs you had to turn, which wasn’t actually that bad. 

I put my bags down on the couch and went to look around the apartment. 

The bathroom’s paint was peeling off the walls and it needed an actual good coat of paint but the bedroom wasn’t half bad. It was actually nice and the bed was pretty big. 

I plop down on the bed and look at the ceiling. I had work tomorrow at my new job…yippee. I checked the notes page on my phone and looked at the cilibis I made on it. It wasn’t much but it was good for the semester. 

“This is what I got a degree for…to teach high schoolers,” I sigh and check the time on my phone, and then set my alarm on my phone to make sure I wouldn’t be late on my first day. 

After making sure everything was set up, I put my phone on the bedside table and dozed off. 

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The alarm blared in the morning, causing me to throw the alarm at the wall in reflex before groaning. There’s another, what, 40 bucks, down the drain? That’s going to suck to replace. 

I slowly rise off my bed and sit on the edge of it, running my hands through the fronts of my hair. This was going to be a long few days, wasn't it? In the smallest town ever in the state of California and I was the only person here who felt like they were out of place, I knew that already. Everyone here came here for a reason, if it wasn’t to settle down or just to live the small town dream. 

Not me, I came here because I needed to survive in a world where they ate creativity like it was the last meal on earth. It might as well be. 

I sigh and stand up, starting my day. I quickly changed into a nice skirt and button up shirt and shoes that complimented it all, my mind on autopilot. Today was going to be alright, it’s just my anxiety talking at the moment. First day and I can’t mess up. 

I check the time. 5:10. The school didn’t even open until 7 but I wanted to set up my classroom, and get comfortable in the chair I would be staying in for maybe the whole year. 

I went outside to my car and opened the door. 

It was an old car that I’ve had for a long time, the outsides color was worn and fading but it was a car I couldn’t afford to get rid of. It was magic it still ran. 

I sat in the car and started the car, pulling out of the driveway and driving to Sunnydale High. When I pulled up, the school was exactly how I thought it was. 

Now to find which room I was going to be in. 

I parked the car near the front of the school, near the Sunnydale High sign and took my keys out of the ignition. I sigh before opening the door to my car and walking out. 

The night sky was starting to turn pink near the skyline and the stars looked beautiful this early in the morning. This was something I liked, watching the sun rise. 

I continued walking towards the building until I opened the doors and went inside. 

The floors shined and the smell of floor cleaner filled the air, the building felt familiar even though I had never stepped foot inside this place before. This wasn’t seeming that hard to get used to for the first time. 

I went down the hallway, searching for the room I was going to be teaching in. 

I pulled out my phone and skimmed through it, trying to find the email from the school about which room I was going to be teaching in. After a few minutes of searching, I found the room number buried in my inbox. Room 109 near the library. 

I wandered around the building aimlessly until I came across a light coming through two giant wooden doors. Maybe someone else was here and could help me find my way. 

I pushed the door open. 

The room was bigger than I thought it would be, with books lining the walls and elevating upwards near the end of the room, going up half a level to extend for more bookshelves. There was a table near a cut out in the between the two small stairs that led up to the half-level of bookshelves with a lamp on it that was on. Someone must be here and they could give me directions. 

“Hello?” I call out into the library. “Is anybody here?” 

Silence. 

Then, a voice called out from a room beside the checkout area. “Yes, I’m right here.” The voice had a British accent, from what I could tell. 

A man came out from the room. He was tall, certainly, with brownish grey hair and a professional air seemed to follow him, with his tweet jacket and tie. “Do you need help?” He took the glasses off his face and wiped them on his jacket to clean, then putting the glasses back onto his face. 

I smile politely at the man. “Hello, I’m the new teacher filling in for Mrs. Calendar. I’m Y/n. Y/n L/n.” I hold out my hand for him to shake. 

The man smiled and took my hand, shaking it. “I’m Giles. Rupert Giles, the librarian.” 

I let his hand go and pointed around. “You must love books then, Mr. Giles.” 

Giles nodded. “Indeed, I do.” 

I checked my watch. “What are you doing here at 6:00 in the morning? School starts at 7” 

Giles pointed towards a stack of books near the checkout area. “I’m restocking books into the library system. What are you doing here this early?” 

I point to the email on my phone. “I’m trying to get everything set up in my new classroom. Do you know where room 109 is, perchance?” I looked up at him and handed him the phone so he could see better. 

He squinted at the phone screen and adjusted his glasses. “Ahh, follow me then.” 

Giles walked towards the door and I quickly followed suit, and after a while of walking, we came to room 109. “Here it is,” he said, pointing to the room. “I hope you visit me often.”

I smile. “Maybe I will,” 

With that, I went into my new classroom and shut the door. 

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The bell for the last period rang and the classes I had all day weren’t as bad as I thought they would be. The kids were smart and great but some were just being little jerks, but I pulled out my skills and got them in their place. 

“Remember to read up on pages 34-35 on computer coding!” I yelled at the people who were streaming out of the classroom at top speed, trying to get away from the idea of homework. 

I heard people groaning at the sound of homework and quickly leaving the class until only a red-headed girl and a blonde-haired girl stayed behind. “Do you girls need help with anything?” 

The red-headed girl basically skipped up to my desk and shook my hand. “I’m Willow, it’s nice to meet you, Mrs. L/n.” 

I shook her hand back. “Pleasure’s all mine, Willow. Aren’t you the student that taught this class before me?” 

Willow nodded. “Yup, that’s me.” 

The blonde-haired girl came up towards the desk and smiled, swinging her arms by her sides. “I’m Buffy.” 

I let go of Willow’s hand. ‘Nice to meet you too, Buffy.” I grinned at her. 

Buffy pointed to the door. “We should go see Giles, he’s probably waiting for us.” 

Willow looked at Buffy. “Okay.” 

She smiled at me while Buffy went out the door. “Giles, by the way, already seems to like you.” 

Willow quickly left me standing there to follow Buffy. 

Huh…That’s new. That’s nice at least, that he seems to want to be my friend. 

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Giles watched the clock, planning with Buffy on the route she was taking to watch out for vampires, but his mind was on you. 

He had checked out your schedule through the school computer, which made him want to throw the bloody thing at a wall, but it was worth it once your schedule popped up after a while of loading. You were running the robotics club after school today until 5:30 and it was 5:16 and counting. 

Xander threw a ball of paper at Giles. “Hey, G-man! Where’s your head at today? You’re usually up your butts about this stuff.” 

Giles shook his head. “Just didn’t get enough sleep last night, do you mind if I leave early to go to bed early so I can be up and alert for tomorrow.” 

Buffy smiled, oblivious with his plan. “Of course!” 

He grabbed his coat and swiftly put it on. “Thank you.” 

Giles stepped out of the room and walked to where your room is, hiding behind the blind spot and looking through the glass pane in the door. 

And there you were. 

You sat with a few students in your classroom, trying your best to help in whatever they were doing. Some were doing homework, some were reading, some had their old tech assignments that they were working on. But he was mostly focused on you. You were sitting in between everybody and just talking with them.

Giles felt a stab of jealousy, which he never usually felt. ‘Bloody hell, I’m in love with someone I’ve only talked to once.’ he thought as he watched you through the little window on your door. 

He had a risky idea and he knew it was wrong, but before he realized it, he pulled out his phone from his pocket and took a picture of you through the glass pane, which disoriented your figure a little bit but it still got a picture of you just fine. Giles quickly turned off his phone and put it in his back pocket before you could even look up from what you were doing with the students. 

You check your watch, which now read 5:20. “Well, we have 10 minutes so just do whatever you want for the remainder, I guess.” 

Before you could even finish your sentence, the students had already taken out their phones and started to type away to their friends who were probably waiting for them outside the school. You smile and shake your head before going to your desk and sitting down in your chair, slowly gathering  your things from beside your desk. 

Giles, meanwhile, hadn’t moved from his spot at the door. His eyes were trained on you as he watched, which was what he thought he did best, surveying things from a distance. 

But this was different, that he knew. You were different. He didn’t know what it was about you but everything seemed to lure Giles in like a moth to a flame.

Before he even knew it, the bell rang, dismissing the after school clubs and every other student and teacher in the building. He muttered a curse before disappearing from his spot in a stream of students and teachers alike that were heading out the door. 

Willow walked beside Giles once she spotted him through the crowd of students and teachers. “I thought you went home from not feeling well.” 

Giles smiled at Willow, trying to hide how his thoughts were swarmed with thoughts of you. “I just forgot something and came back for it.” He answered, walking towards the exit with Willow. “W-where’s Buffy and Xander?” 

Willow pointed behind her. “They got caught up with Cordelia.” 

Giles nodded. “Ahhh. That makes sense.” 

They walked together in silence until they made it outside and Willow went her respective way, walking down the street to get to her home. 

Giles looked around, trying to see if he could catch a glimpse of you through the scattered people that littered the streets and lawn of the school but you were nowhere in his line of sight. After a good moment of searching, he saw you at your car, turning your key in the ignition and driving off. 

Your car was old, that was obvious to Giles from the worn look to it. 

He shook his head before heading towards his own car and unlocking it after a good jiggle of his keys in the driver's side lock. If your car was old, it was ancient. The paint had long faded off it and it looked almost like it wouldn’t run but it did. It drove him where he needed to go, which wasn’t usually that far but this time, he wanted to try and at least find out more about you

Giles could vividly remember what your car looked like, he could maybe…go looking around Sunnydale for you. 

He quickly shook his head before sliding into his car and starting it, which only ushered a small whine from the car before it started up. He couldn’t go find you, not like this. Giles almost wanted to laugh. He’d fought vampires and monsters, saved the world many times alongside the Slayer…and yet, the thing that was causing his undoing at the moment was a woman. 

Giles drove off towards his house, resisting the urge to try and find Y/n again. 

This wasn’t like him, he knew it, but it was as if you had put a spell on him, making his mind fog up the lines between what was right and wrong. It wasn’t the way he was, he was a man who had morals and a code, a code that had worked great for him before you came along. Giles thought he was a good person. 

He pulled up to his house and quickly took his key out of the car and sprinted inside, shutting his front door behind him. 

Giles sighed, taking off his coat and sitting on his couch, which sagged a little under his weight. Tomorrow was going to be hard for him, wasn’t it? He was guaranteed to see you again, you two worked together. There was a part of him that wanted to seek you out, wanted to know everything about you. A part that wanted you to be his. 

He groaned, his head in his hands. His thoughts didn’t sound like his own but they were his own. The part that he hid from everyone. The part of him that was a monster, that he knew was a monster. 

The Ripper part of him longed for you. 

Giles laid down on the couch and pulled out his phone from his back pocket, going to his pictures. He pulled up the picture he had taken before when he was outside the door of your class. You looked so perfect to Giles.

At that, Giles realized that he didn’t want to fight this time. He didn’t want to fight this. 

It was fate. You were his soulmate, and he wasn’t going to let you go as long as he was alive. 

[prose-for-hire]

Dead Serious

Pairing: Giles x male!Ghost!reader

I was inspired by a request for more male readers in our little btvs community. It's a little angsty and a little fluffy. Hope that’s okay !! 💖

Warning: Reader's death, smoking, drinking. Giles dealing with your death. Vague mention of people staring/homophobia but you're from the Ripper days so forgive me xo

It was Friday evening and your love was still hunched over a book. He took his glasses off, exasperated as he couldn’t figure something out. Cleaning his glasses he thought for a moment, probably realising it was time to retire to bed.

Once he rested his glasses back on his face he saw you. He jumped when he did. He sometimes did this when he was tired, forgetting everything except whichever book he was reading.

“Y/n” he spoke your name barely above a whisper but you felt it deep in your heart. His face had paled. He had never looked at you this way before. Dead serious and pained to scan your face.

You didn’t understand why his usual soft smile didn’t form, his eyes didn’t glisten in the way you adored. You frowned, taking a step towards him but he rose from his chair and moved backwards.

You were the man he loved. Had loved so deeply. So wholly.

“Ripper, what’s wrong?” You asked, perplexed.

He always had time for you. Even when he was frustrated or upset. Even when his harsher traits bled through, he was always soft on you.

“Do you not recall?” He eyes scanning your form, as if checking it really was you.

He reached for you, his love, the man he has held dear for so long. Until that fateful day had separated you, he had thought forever. He knew it was pointless, he knew he could never feel your touch again but perhaps if he imagined it, that touch. That feeling. Maybe he could transport back there.

You were still wearing the same clothes you had the day you died all those years ago. He choked on a sob and turned away from you.

It had been late one night, you were curled in bed, your side pressed against his. His hand was resting behind your head, his fingers twisting strands of your hair every so often as you slept. He couldn’t sleep, he had been reading by candlelight.

That was when it happened, the door collapsed into splinters on the floor. The snarling, clawing beast entered and lunged for you.

Something had come back to bite you. Literally.

You had both fought it fiercely, your fight complimenting each other. You knew each other's bodies so well. He took his eye off the beast for a moment, hearing a commotion in the corridor. Ethan Rayne had been coming to help, having tracked down the beast. He had needed its blood for a spell but it had got free, seeing you as its creator. As its enemy. You had summoned it and the only way it would be free was to kill you.

And that was exactly what it did.

It had been a slow death, Giles had cradled you in his arms after the threat had been removed. He stroked your face, insisting that you would be okay. He never forgave himself for the last words he spoke to you being a lie.

He had tried desperately to bring you back but all he had tried had failed. He threw himself into his studies, denouncing the dark magics and making an enemy out of Ethan.

Giles had poured himself another scotch. You had seen him daydreaming. Going back there. To those happy days.

“I just wanted to see you one last time” you said softly. He had never known you to be so earnest. He knew you loved him, of course, you always told him that. But vulnerability had always been difficult for you.

“They let you out of Heaven for that?” He asked, you laughed at this. Appreciating the sentiment, the way Giles saw you as nothing but goodness.

“You really think they let me in there? It’s just darkness. Like I’m waiting for something. But what, I don’t know”

“To be here, surely. To assist us on the Hellmouth”

“Makes sense I guess, I always though a Hellmouths were a myth” You shrugged. Staring at him, wishing so deeply that you could touch him. Hold him.

You spoke for hours, he caught you up on his life since you had gone. He glossed over the trauma, the way he had spent many sleepless, bitter nights trying to get you back. Trying to forget the pain. He drank, he fought. He did anything to feel something that wasn't the emptiness of losing you.

Soon, he grew tired and curled up in his chair.

“Sleep, love” you whispered, leaning in as if to press a kiss to his forehead before recalling that you couldn't. You didn't sleep so you just enjoyed your time in his home. Being enveloped by his scent. Reading the spines of his many books and watching over him as he slept.

When he woke he was sure he had been dreaming. Surely you hadn’t been there. Telling him you had chosen to visit him out of everyone on Earth. Though he supposed if it has been the other way, he would have chosen you. Every time.

He walked into his kitchen to brew some tea. There you were leaning against the counter, looking at him that way that made him melt. That made that smile creep onto his face, the one that was just for you.

The last time you had looked at him that way, so carefree, had been decades ago. You were leaning against a wall taking a drag from a cigarette. You ran a hand through your hair, watching him with that look as he walked towards you.

He pulled you into him when he reached you, taking the smoke from your hand and putting it to his lips. A playful smile on his face as you pecked his cheek.

You walked through the streets, glaring at any onlookers and slung your arm over his shoulder as you walked. He grinned, sliding his hand around your middle. enjoying the stares. Enjoying the horror in their stupid little faces.

He had felt untouchable. Invincible. With you by his side. You hung out in demon bars, your combined power earning you respect. That, or the amount of bar fights you had been in and won.

Giles had been on the phone for half of the morning, it was the weekend and he seemed to be calling some sort of meeting. When they arrived, you could tell you were in the presence of a Slayer. One with friends by the look of it, something unheard of back in the day.

Giles was asking (near pleading) with them to help find a way to make you corporeal again.

“We have to, it, ah, I believe there was a scroll or a prophecy of some sort-“

“Giles, make with the slowness”

"Calm down, G-man"

“You said yourself, you can never bring anyone back or they’ll be all ooky and changed”

“But this- he’s different I’m sure of it”

“Giles, be rational”

“I have never seen anything so clear”

“He’s not a slayer or anything powerful…”

“He’s in the room you know” you rolled your eyes. You had already said all this yourself to Giles. You both knew better than to mess with resurrection spells. Not again, anyway.

“No, he’s much more than that. He’s the love of my life” Giles stated solemnly, despite the words he uttered being one that would usually denote joy. He looked as if he was on the verge of tears.

The Scoobies all exchanged glances. They had never really thought too much into Giles’ dating preferences before. Plus they had never really seen him so vulnerable and it made them all a little uncomfortable. Tears welled in Willow’s eyes as she moved to comfort him.

Buffy, although not as visibly emotional as Willow, resolved to fix his sadness. She was incredibly fond of Giles and suddenly her one mission in life (besides the slaying, of course) was to reunite you and your love.

It was sweet, how much these young people cared for him. You and Ripper had been a lot less mature at their age. You had broken every rule in the book, and then some.

They hit the books immediately. You could do nothing to help except tell them to rest when they all looked like they were going to pass out. Or offer them advice when you caught them talking about their cute little mortal dramas. They became increasingly fond of you, you were an honorary Scooby.

Then one day, they found something. That could maybe bring you back.

“Are you serious about him?” Buffy asked, scrutinising your face as she reread through the book's warnings.

“Dead” your eyes glistened with humour but you didn’t smile. She seemed to nod her approval, something that made the man stood beside you relax slightly. It was clear he took his watcher role very seriously. It was nice seeing him this way.

It would only be for twenty four hours it was the best they could do. And much more that you could have ever asked for. Any more than that and their own life forces could drain away. You hadn’t really thought about the sacrifice these people were making until it came down to it. Resurrection spells could mess with the mortality of any of the casters.

All four of them made a circle around you, holding hands and muttering words you didn't understand. You felt conflicted, you were desperate to be with him, to touch him the way you once had. To feel that intimacy that could never be replicated. But you didn't want to come back as something evil or nasty and hurt him all over again.

They all started shouting, appearing to be possessed by something. Smoke filled the air and then a blinding light. And suddenly it all went quiet.

“Alright love?” You grinned, the smoke clearing. Your eyes meeting his.

He rushed to you, cupping your cheeks in his hands. Pressing a kiss to your lips, but not stopping there. He pressed kisses against your cheeks, your nose, your forehead. As if he wanted to make sure each part of you was real. That each part had his adoration.

His eyes glistening with tears that threatened to spill. He hadn't felt this happy in so long. He didn't think of what would be coming after today. Couldn't allow himself to. For now, he had the man he loved back in his arms. And that was all that mattered.

“Thank you all, truly. I will never forget this” He turned to them briefly but you pulled him back into you. Craving the contact. Craving everything you had lost for so long.

“We’ll, uh, get going” One of them muttered awkwardly as they raced each other out of the door.

But neither you nor Giles were listening. You slid your hand up his chest, unbuttoning the waistcoat he was wearing slowly. Your lips exploring already claimed territory.

You were lost in each other. He was yours and you were his. For tonight and long after.

[ashisdoodlingsstuff-blog]

Who do I have to kill to get some Rupert Giles x reader ? Cause that man... THAT MAN !!!

[noceurstars]

”Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.”

Rupert Giles x Witch! Younger! Reader

You and the Scoobies try to have a normal Thanksgiving. Try, anyway.

[ w — age gap (20+ years), older man/younger woman, injured! reader, assumed unrequited love, short story, tv show-compliant only, slight canon divergence ]

— divider cred: @/inklore

Living above the Hellmouth meant that nothing would ever be normal. No holidays, no birthdays would ever be like the average person’s.

Thanksgiving and Christmas was the same. Monsters and creatures of the dark never took days off, not with their insatiable need to be evil.

Buffy sighed as she staked what was probably the 20th vampire of the night. Thanksgiving was a time to sit down with friends and family, having a lovely, large dinner and being thankful for the people in your life and the things you had.

But not for the Scoobies.

You huffed, rolling your sore shoulder. A vampire had taken a good chunk out of of your neck, but the second he tasted your blood, he instantly revolted, and you took a stake to his heart.

“You good?” Buffy asks, eyeballing your shoulder.

“Yeah.” But you hiss a little as pain flares through it. “It’s just gonna take a minute to heal. I’ll put some bandaids on it when we get back.”

Buffy cheerily and knowingly chips in a, “I’m sure Giles would disapprove.” That prompts you to give her a deadpan look.

“You know that he doesn’t like me like that,” you reply. You shove your hands into your pockets. “It’s a one-way street. Can we talk about something else?”

She shrugs. “Sure.”

The two of you walked side by side out of the graveyard. Buffy sighs, tilting her head down.

“I really wish Christmas could be normal,” she admits. “I miss it, from when I was a kid. It’s so much different from now.”

“Not as involved with monsters, you mean?” you say, and Buffy nods in confirmation. “Yeah, me too. I feel so… apathetic about it anymore. It doesn’t feel as important, as fun as it used to be.”

“Cons of being apart of the supernatural world,” she adds.

“Truly.” You laugh. “Not to mention—” A scream rips from your throat. Cold heat washes through you and up your spine, all the way up to your skull. Your head jolts back at the pain, and the cold heat leaves as the wooden stake leaves your body, now replaced by odd, liquid warmth.

Oh, you’re bleeding. Bleeding out, perhaps.

You heard the slaps and thuds of fighting as you fall to the ground. You try to have some semblance of control as you collapse in pain, but it doesn’t work. You bump your head into a headstone and more liquid oozes down your skin.

You hear the familiar hissing sound of dust. Buffy’s won. Now you see her over you, terror and fear written all over her features.

“[Name]? [Name]? You with me?”

You gulp, attempting to focus and swallow down the pain. “Kinda,” you hiss.

“Healing magic? Can it fix this?” she inquires hurriedly.

“Probably,” you reply, becoming more and more breathless.

“I’m gonna put pressure on it, okay? The second you feel any sort of clarity, start chanting.”

You let out a loud cry of pain, more blood coming out and staining your shirt. The pain signals the adrenaline in your body. It takes you a couple seconds longer than what you hope before you start chanting in Latin.

It feels strange, your body stitching itself back together. The strange feeling of blood coming out of your body disappears. You huff, the chant ending a minute later. Buffy takes her hands off the wound and you watch her examine it.

“How’s it look?”

“Looks good, head wound is gone, too,” she says. “But we need to get you back to the Magic Box. Giles and Willow might have something they can help you brew up to get you fully healed.”

You lean up using your elbows and hands. You take Buffy’s hand and let out groan of pain as you get to your feet. You two walk out of the graveyard and head to the Magic Box. You thank God it’s dark and no one can see you and your best friend walk through the streets of Sunnydale with her holding you up.

The Magic Box comes into sight not ten minutes later. Buffy uses her key to open the door, but neither of you expect to see the floor of the Magic Box completely cleared out, with a large, decorated table filled to the brim with food and drinks.

Xander is the first to turn his head up and see you and Buffy.

“Happy Thanksgiving, you guys!” he says.

“Happy Thanksgiving, Xander,” you speak breathlessly. And that’s when he knows something is wrong. His eyes trail down to your bloodied shirt and widen drastically.

“Oh, crap.”

“Oh, crap is right.” Buffy sets you down in one of the nearest chairs. “Get the others and tell them [Name] needs a healing potion… or some sort of healing magic. The wound isn’t as bad as it looks, but she needs help crossing the finish line.”

“On it.”

Xander heads to the back to get the others, who come rushing in not a moment after he gets them.

Unfortunately for you, all you can focus on through one eye (the other squinted in pain) is Giles, and the look of worry and concern on his face.

“She’s very pale,” Giles says. His voice is clearly worried. It almost seems borderline… terrified?

“Blood loss,” you say in a shakily exhale. “Healed, yes. Blood back inside the body? Not so much.”

“Can you do anything, Giles?” Buffy asks.

“Let me see the wound and we’ll see.”

You raise your shirt, showing off the nasty scar. It’s not fully healed, maybe three-quarters. You look away, eyes meeting Buffy’s, who’s expression is borderline teasing and full of amusement. You roll yours in return.

“Nothing out of my capabilities I can’t heal,” Giles says. He looks up at you and adds, “But I do have to touch it to heal it.”

You shake your head. “It’s fine.” The second Giles places his hand on the injury though, a large wave of nausea makes you shudder and groan.

“She looks like she needs a trash can,” Xander pipes.

“I’ll get one,” Anya offers, disappearing behind the counter momentarily to grab one. She places it next to you and you thank her.

Giles’ warm hand leaves your lower torso. The wound is completely healed, although you still feel faint from the blood loss. He looks at you again, scanning over your sick expression.

“I’ll be fine in a bit,” you tell, a smile appearing on your face. “I think some food in my stomach would do me some good. Thank you, Giles.”

“You are most welcome,” he replies, standing. “And I think you are absolutely correct. Shall we eat?”

Buffy nods and speaks for everyone’s hungry stomachs. “We shall.”

Dawn sits between you and Buffy. Xander, Anya, and Dawn are on the other side of the table. At the head of the table, between Xander and Buffy, is Giles. Just like a father should be, you think, humored.

“So… What happened? How’d you get such a wound?” Willow asks.

You and Buffy answer in unison: “Vampires.”

“Thought we were done and one caught us by surprise with one of the stakes,” Buffy explains. “[Name] used her magic, but she couldn’t heal it all the way.”

“Glad you both made it back,” Xander said happily. “This Thanksgiving dinner we put together would’ve been a total bust.”

Everyone laughs in agreement and digs into the food. Unknowingly to you, Giles can barely keep his eyes off of you, only looking away to take a bite of food off of his plate. Though he does try to it make it obvious.

Indeed, he’s glad you made it back. He’s glad he’s able to heal your injuries. Life would certainly be a lot more dull without you around.

But as Anya hands you the gravy, you catch Giles staring at you out of your peripheral vision. There’s a look on his face, one you know well, because it’s the same one Spike gives Buffy when she’s not looking.

You smile and raise your glass in a toast. “Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.”

Everyone raises their glass cheerily, downing a swig.

You thank this Thanksgiving for giving you hope. Even if it doesn’t last.

[prose-for-hire]

Five String Serenade

Pairing: Giles x shy!reader

Request: Not requested. I started writing this when I had covid last year and just found it again! This is another one where reader is inserted into the plot of an episode, this one’s where the wild things are, where we find Giles singing at the espresso pump.

You are shy and go to their music/poetry evenings to try and salvage some kind of social life, only to be mesmerised by the man that comes and plays every month or so. You tell yourself that tonight is the night that you speak to him after his set but you didn’t bank on getting in the middle of a life or death situation.

You were sat there, patiently waiting for the music to begin. You had arrived early. Early enough that you had already ordered a second beverage from the counter as you waited. You were on your own, but you had managed to fend off any lingering embarrassment at that fact easily by now. You spent a lot of time in your own company and decided that you wanted to try and experience new things even if it meant stepping out of your comfort zone.

The Espresso Pump was busier than usual but your usual seat in the back corner of the room was miraculously still waiting for you when you returned. You slid into the empty seat and smiled softly to yourself. You had made yourself a promise and you were going to make good on it tonight.

You had become a regular at this coffee house, mostly for these open mic nights that they put on, where people would mostly sing or recite their own words with such feeling. You were barely confident enough to take a seat in the audience, let alone get up there yourself but you adored watching and soaking in the atmosphere of these evenings.

The first woman came onto the small stage and you smiled politely and swayed softly but she wasn’t who you had come here to see. Once upon a time, you had just come for the experience but now you found yourself increasingly coming just to catch a glimpse of him. He was so talented but from hearing him speak and the way he appeared so kind and considerate to those around him, you had quickly developed a little crush.

Anticipation swelled inside you as the woman left the stage, you clapped distractedly as you waited to see who was next. Your eyes lit up when you saw that it was him.

He set up on the stage, smiling out at the audience. Rather than introducing himself he immediately started playing. You were hooked, hypnotised from the very first note. As you always were. You swore that he was singing to you, it looked like his eyes were meeting yours but you were well aware you were probably fantasising and he was looking at some point on the wall behind him.

It didn’t matter anyway. All you saw was him and the the strings of his guitar that he expertly played with those skilled fingers. He was so attractive, made even more so as the emotion of his voice touched you deeply.

Those sweet notes caressing your ear as if he they were made for you. Serenading you and only you.

When he finished his set, happily oblivious as his eyes had widened at the arrival of people he recognised meaning that he had to drag his eyes away from you. As your heart still fluttering to the tune of his song, there he was. Alone and packing up his guitar. This was your chance.

You had spoken to him once, you had both picked up each other’s orders at the counter and had to swap them back. He had opened his mouth as if to say something more before he left but shook his head and hurried away before he had chance. He had wanted to ask if you would give him your number or meet perhaps one evening but he realised he shouldn’t have even stopped to order his drink. There was something of a time-sensitive emergency that he couldn’t possibly explain to you so rather than dragging you into his often dangerous and plain annoying world, he left you watching him leave.

You wished you had said something. Anything would have done. But you had clammed up, your gaze fixed on the floor rather than lingering on him in the way you wished you had. You wished you had traced every feature, memorised every inch and committed it to your mind forever.

That was okay though, because today could be that day. Today you would at least tell him how much you loved his music. If nothing else.You walked up slowly, not realising that the small group of young people that had arrived during the performance were there for him. To be honest, you wouldn’t have been surprised to discover that the entire crowd was only there to watch him. It was why you found yourself never missing the first weekend of the month anyway.

“Uh, hi…” You cleared your throat, he didn’t seem to hear you as he packed his guitar away, “Hello?”

“Yes, yes, can I help you?” He turned and saw that it was you and wished to God his words hadn’t sounded so dismissive. You took a subconscious step back from him and your eyes immediately dropped to the floor. You had always been this way, reserved and struggling to express yourself. You shut off when you thought that someone might laugh or reject you in some way.

The truth was, he liked you. Hadn’t stopped thinking about you since that time with the mixed up coffee cups. There just had never been the right moment, much like right now there was always some demon in the way.

His smile warmed you when you glanced briefly back at his face, he appeared more friendly now that he realised who was speaking to him. He was still somewhat distracted, he kept glancing behind you at the kids that were gesturing wildly and acting out a very amateur interpretation of what they had just been facing in the haunted house.

You were so nervous, you didn’t want to be this nervous about this. You wished you were confident and suave and could convince him to drop any plans he may have had for the rest of the evening and spend his time with you alone. But you were determined at least. You weren’t going to walk away without saying anything, not this time. A promise was a promise and even though it was only with yourself, you decided that it needed to be honoured. Or you would forever be torturing yourself with what ifs.

Your palms were sweaty, you quickly tried to dry them on the material of your clothing as you took a deep, deep breath. Your knees became weak and time began to slow but your heart rate quickened. He smelled so good and you looked down before resolving yourself and raising your eyeline to the back of his head where he was leaning over to pack up his stuff.

“I wanted to know if…” You had a tendency to mumble your words but today they had just evaded you all together. Trailed off into nothing. You couldn’t hide your disappointment in yourself and his distracted nature as he continued to hurriedly pack away his guitar.

“I hope my haste hasn’t made you believe that I’m not interested in speaking with you. It’s in fact quite the opposite these young people are in some sort of peril that I now have to attempt to fix most likely before sunrise” he muttered, gesturing to the group that still appeared somewhat shellshocked at even the idea that the man would spend his evening singing in this way.

“Are, uh, they family?” You looked at them, wondering if you had completely made a fool of yourself and these potential children of his would momentarily part and allow his spouse to walk towards to and embarrass you in front of the small crowd.

“I suppose in a way. Not by blood but they do rely on me to a certain extent”

“That’s really sweet…” You said softly, feeling a heat rising in your cheeks as you said it. If he had caught it, he was a gentleman and didn’t comment.

“Uh, if there’s anything that you need help with…” You let your offer hang in the air and he looked up from what he was doing to smile at you faintly. He had a good feeling about you, but alas he couldn’t leave the group waiting any longer. They appeared concerned.

“These aren’t the usual teenage tribulations, I’m afraid. They are more… demonic in nature. Is this something you have any experience in?” He asked you this hopefully and it made you wish more than anything in the world that you were some rogue demon hunter but the truth was, you were so shy that you avoided a lot of the human population never mind the demon population who were much harder to stumble across, say, doing your grocery shopping.

“Well, no b-but my, uh, cousin knew a demon once…” you realised just how stupid you sounded only after the sentence left your mouth. You did, of course, know demons and vampires existed. You weren’t unaware, you were just shy and hadn’t actually ever faced one before.

“Giles! We gotta encounter of the dead kind over here” the group finally interrupted.

“We need to make with the books and the, uh, more books…”

“I apologise, I really must go”

“It was nice to-” You started but, you had blinked and he had already disappeared with the group of teenagers. You sighed, cursing yourself as you started to leave the coffee shop.

You decided to walk the long way home. You enjoyed walking at night. It was a wonder really, living in Sunnydale and being partial to a late night walk that you had never once crossed paths with a vampire. Perhaps you were just lucky.

You kicked a rock sullenly as you wished you had offered to help or just gave him your number or actually done something to show your interest. It just never seemed to be the right time.

Before you knew it you had been walking in circles, wrapped up in your own regret. Your eyes hadn’t moved from the pavement and that was how you had managed to turn the corner and bump straight into him again. And his group of younger friends.

“It’s, Y/n, isn’t it? We appear to keep meeting at the wrong times” He joked, referencing the coffee incident and now, the life or death situation. Easily comparable, of course.

He knew your name. Perhaps it was a potential concussion from knocking into him but you were in a daze at the fact that he had spoken your name. Your name on such heavenly lips. You smiled softly as he introduced himself, though hurriedly, as Giles had a Slayer to save.

You had caught them coming back from meeting Genevieve Holt. Who had ran the frat house when it had been a children’s home. Now, it was just haunted by poltergeists and drunken regrets. Seemingly, because she had punished them for sexual thoughts, the lust brought in by the Slayer and her boyfriend had ignited something and the repressed energy in the house was now releasing.

“Do you know how to help two people compelled to have lots of sex?” One of the very blunt teenagers asked. You later found out she was over a thousand years old.

“Maybe give them a condom, I don’t know” You shrugged, looking a little embarrassed when you realised you had said that out loud. But by the amused looks on their faces you needn’t have been embarrassed.

“They are feeding the energy of once repressed spectres which now haunt the house. The, ah, sex acts as a sort of battery that will inevitably run out. Thus, ending the lives of the two at the centre” Giles explained. Which left the group silent again for a moment as they thought of the potential that their friends may die.

“Oh then maybe a spell or some kind of exorcism…” you said, your face thankfully not betraying how absurd you felt in this sudden situation.

Your usual shy nature had been pushed down, you wanted to help. So you tried your very best to muster up all of the confidence that you possessed. 

The discussion became urgent as you followed the others to Giles’ home. You didn’t catch the glint in his eye as he saw that you were joining them. You couldn’t very well just tell them to have a good evening and that you hoped that their friends didn’t die in some sex related haunting now could you? Giles muttered something about a book that he needed to help you all summon the poltergeists and try and make it so that this Buffy and Riley they spoke about had a chance at survival.

“You want the Salem Codex, it has a better translation” You said suddenly and Giles nodded, reaching for the exact book you had just mentioned.

“Check out walking encyclopaedia here”

“I thought you said that you had no experience with demons?”

“I don’t, I’m just well-read” You shrugged again, but Giles’ eyes hadn’t left your form. He was in awe of you. You had a lot of downtime and you liked reading, what can you say? You had been gifted a lot of books on magic by your cousin’s ex. The demon you had never actually met. Doyle or something.

He was growing to enjoy your company, even the brief moments you had spent with him here. Your love of knowledge, the way that you were so calm even under the pressure of trying to save someone’s life. Even though you had always appeared shy before. And you had thrown yourself into helping without even considering backing away. You were a good person.

But he had to quickly snap himself out of it so that he could find the correct spell. While he did so and Tara and Willow joined you to summon the ghosts that haunted Lowell house, Xander and Anya went to go and try and save their friends.

You had always been a little nervous about trying spells. Of course you thought it was cool and you didn’t doubt the existence of it. You were just a little cautious.

You joined them, reciting the words and standing close to Giles. You tried very hard not to be distracted by the proximity, this was very important after all. You settled by just stealing a few side glances as he set up the table you were all stood around.

Tara and Willow looked at each other as they sensed the power that you had added to the circle. Nobody mentioned anything, you all kept on task. You gasped when the ghosts appeared, it was unlike anything you had ever seen. You felt it, their lives, their pain.

The witches tried to speak to the ghosts, to reason with them. However, before the exorcism could be finished the table in the centre of the room was thrown across the room and the children had disappeared just as quickly as they had arrived. You just hoped that it would be enough.

After some pacing and waiting to find out if you had given Xander and Anya enough time to reach their friends. You eventually received a call to say that Buffy and Riley were safe but wholly ungrateful for everything you had all done to help them.

Giles smiled at you, he had been observing you closely as you waited. You were incredibly attractive and clearly more powerful than even you realised. As you left the two women and Giles invited tyou to his house, with the red haired one giving him a meaningful look, you started to realise what had just happened.

You had done magic! You had actually helped save someone’s life! It was exhilarating and scary and so many things all rolled into one. Especially as by this portion of the night you would usually have been long since curled up with a book.

“That was probably one of the strangest nights of my life” You admitted once you were sat in his living room with a warm drink in hand. His fingers had lingered on the cup as he passed it to you, grazing yours. It was like electricity sparking between you.

“It was one of the milder perils in this town” He commented, shaking his head and smiling in that way that brightened up his entire face. You were trying your very best not to just stare at him and make him uncomfortable. But it was so hard, he was so fucking good looking.

There was a short silence, where Giles was debating whether to ask if you would like to see him again. You were everything he had ever wanted. And more. He envisioned spending a lot of time with you in his future. However, you had been filling up with all the unsaid things that you had wanted to tell him. And they all finally exploded from your mouth as you beat him to it.

“I- I really like you and I was thinking that perhaps we could go and get a drink together, not that this drink isn’t nice it’s fine – great! It’s really great it’s actually my favourite but I was thinking that perhaps we could actually go out and maybe not a date if you aren’t into that sort of thing but I would just really, really like to get to know you and it would be so good to-”

You hadn’t stopped for a breath but you had been quickly cut off by the man you were attempting to invite on a date as he pressed his lips to yours. He had smiled at your words, you could feel it in his kiss. You reached for him, deepening the kiss and trying to figure out if you were dreaming or not. His cologne enveloped you as you ran a hand through his hair, lips moving against his in such deep and unwavering display of affection. It was as if you were made for each other. It just felt so right.

You tried not to think about the whining noise you made when he slowly pulled back from the kiss, allowing you to take a much needed breath. He leaned against you, humour still in his eyes at your outburst. His eyes closed slowly, as if he were saving this image to memory before he moved to your ear.

“I hope you don’t think me too forward, I have wanted to kiss you since the moment my eyes met yours in the crowd six months ago” He whispered in your ear, then pressed a kiss against your cheek.

You were speechless, unable to explain anything or remember even what your name was, you just reached for him again. Showing him how much you appreciated his ‘forwardness’ by initiating another kiss.

[lokidokieokie]

Accidental Slumber

Summary: After a long night of researching, you and Giles fall asleep in the library.

Pairing: Rupert Giles x Fem!Reader

Warning(s): cuteness overload, friends to lovers type sitch, cuddling, idiots in love, mutual pining, lemme know if I forgot anything

I do not own this image...credit to the original creator

The library was dimly lit, and the musty smell of ancient books filled the air. You and Giles had been researching late into the night, delving into the mysteries of an obscure demon. Exhaustion had finally caught up with both of you, and without realising it, you had drifted off to sleep.

As the sun began to rise, soft rays of light peeked through the library windows. The first sounds of footsteps echoed through the hallways, indicating the arrival of the Scooby Gang. Buffy, Willow, and Xander made their way to the library, eager to share their newfound discoveries with their mentor and the newest member of their team, you.

However, the sight that greeted them was unexpected. Their jaws dropped as they saw Giles and you, entwined in each other's arms, fast asleep on the library table. The tension in the air was palpable as they exchanged perplexed glances.

Buffy cleared her throat, breaking the silence. "Um, guys? Maybe we should give them a minute." Her tone was playful, but her eyes sparkled mischievously.

Giles, as if sensing the disturbance, pulled you closer into him; pressing a kiss to the top of your head. Willow's cheeks flushed a deep shade of crimson. "Oh, yes, definitely. We can...wait outside or something."

Xander scratched the back of his head nervously. "Yeah, no problem. We'll just... be over there, pretending not to see anything." He gestured toward the bookshelves and quickly herded the others away.

Slowly, the two of you began to stir, disturbed by the hushed voices and nervous shuffling. Groggy eyes fluttered open, meeting each other in a mix of surprise and embarrassment.

"Good morning," Giles murmured, his voice thick with sleep.

You stifled a yawn, feeling a blush creep up your neck. "Morning. Did we... fall asleep here?"

Giles chuckled, his British accent adding a touch of warmth to the moment. "It appears so. Research can be quite exhausting, it seems."

As you began to sit up, Giles' arm instinctively tightened around you. His touch was gentle yet possessive, as if he never wanted to let you go. You glanced down, noticing the affectionate gesture, and couldn't help but smile.

The library doors creaked open, and the Scooby Gang tiptoed back inside, albeit less discreetly than they intended. Buffy, Willow, and Xander tried their best to hide their amusement, failing miserably.

Buffy broke the silence once more. "Well, you two sure know how to have a slumber party without inviting the rest of us."

Willow nodded, grinning ear to ear. "Yeah, we thought we'd come and join in on the cuddle-fest."

Xander nudged Buffy, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "And I even brought the popcorn, just in case."

You felt your face heat up, and Giles' cheeks tinged with a blush that matched your own. It was clear that the Scoobies were delighted to witness this unexpected moment of vulnerability between you and Giles.

Giles finally released his hold on you, running a hand through his tousled hair as he straightened himself. "Well, um... it seems we may have dozed off accidentally."

Buffy grinned playfully. "No judgment here, Giles. We just wanted to make sure you two lovebirds didn't miss out on anything important."

Willow joined in the teasing, her eyes twinkling. "Yeah, we wouldn't want any precious research time to go to waste."

Xander added with a mock-serious expression, "And if you ever need any tips on cozying up, we're here to help."

The playful banter continued, gradually easing the awkwardness. It was clear that the Scoobies were genuinely happy for you and Giles, their friendly ribbing serving as a testament to their acceptance and support.

As the laughter subsided, Giles took your hand in his, intertwining your fingers. "Well, it seems we owe the nosy teenagers our gratitude for their invaluable research assistance."

Buffy grinned. "We'll take our payment in the form of a slightly less awkward group hug."

The suggestion was met with enthusiastic agreement, and soon the library was filled with warm embraces and lighthearted chatter.

In that moment, surrounded by your newfound family, you realised that accidental slumbers and shared vulnerabilities could bring people even closer together. And you couldn't have been happier to be a part of it all, entwined with Rupert Giles, the man who had stolen your heart.

A/N I love Giles 😍