The sexiest thing they ever did on Buffy was give the mild mannered straight laced Queen's English "You're my real dad" mentor figure a sexy alter ego from his past called "RIPPER" who literally deals in demons, yaoi, and fist fights.
Need to get these ideas that have invaded my brain out, so if you want them, feel free to take them.
Listen: I do not and cannot allow myself to ship Buffy x Giles in canon. But I do like Giles as a character and I read a few well-written fics. HOWEVER, most of you need to go to horny jail and I am glad you tag well on AO3.
I have two premises with two separate ideas each. These would be slowburn & character focused. Please feel free to expand on them in the replies or message me if you want to talk them out. :)
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Time Travel:
A: immediately post series (2003, so Buffy is around 22) sending her to 1977 when Giles is around 23. She's confronted with a version of a man who hurt her deeply who is completely embroiled in the dark arts. He is then confronted with the idea that he will become the very thing he is trying to avoid. This one is heavily inspired by the wonderful Spuffy fic ‘The Darkling’. Choice of if Buffy makes it to canon timeline & then is in Sunnydale handling things or if she’s only in the past for a short time but acts as the catalyst for Giles getting back into the Council. Exploration of queer identity (both are bisexual at the very least).
B: Buffy circa 2020-2023 ish, so she's late 30s, early 40s travels to the beginning of the series. Could be accidental/on-purpose. This lets her confront her past self and change things maybe for the better. Maybe confronts the whole Angel debacle, tries to handle things by herself and avoid the 1997 Scoobies in hopes of giving this version of herself a more normal life. Lessens/gets rid of the age gap, keeps a bit of the power dynamic (he is still technically her Watcher but also she has knowledge he doesn't), and allows the characters to acknowledge this would never happen in canon without drastic measures.
In-canon AU: Age-regression
A: Ethan succeeds in his goal of making Giles Ripper again. Could be during ‘Halloween’ or ‘Band Candy’. Full regression, maybe to around 17 or so. Then we go forward with how this would change the series. No trust in the council, no crucimentium, more magic involvement, he’s no longer the ‘voice of reason’, so to speak, so who takes on that role?
B: In ‘Something Blue’, instead of spelling Giles blind, Willow wishes that he was ‘like’ their age again so he could understand what she was feeling. We get the 20ish Ripper. Could keep the whole engagement plot & having Spike & Ripper be buddies. You also get the whole abandonment plot with Giles ‘leaving’ still if you choose for Ripper to fuck off instead of staying in Sunnydale.
Rupert did a lot to distance himself from that part of his life, and while the darkness lurked underneath his Watcher visage, the two sometimes blending when things became dire.
So it was surprising that Ripper was not the one to take Ben's life, but Rupert himself, the broken man beneath his hands weakly struggling for breath before he finally stills, glazed eyes closed when the Watcher was sure he had breathed his last.
Ripper was the one to tend to Buffy, tucking Rupert into a blissful void as he searched for a blanket or some such cloth, eventually stumbling across Glory's trove of things she'd wanted to bring with her return to Hell. He finds a beautiful blue blanket and gathers it into his arms before slowly returning to Buffy, gazing down at the child that Rupert had grown to love as his own. If it wasn't for the still of her chest and the blood that had stopped spreading from a shattered skull, Buffy looked to all the world like she was merely asleep.
She's so light when he picks her up, covering the Slayer with the blanket before vanishing into the rapidly disappearing night with the bundle in his arms. His apartment is mercifully empty as the man enters and kicks the door shut, eyes flickering around the room before he decides that his couch would suffice for now, carefully setting the bundle down before running a hand through his hair.
The cigarette is out and lit before he realizes, the long drag settling frayed nerves as he slowly exhales. His bruised ribs don't appreciate it much, but Ripper ignores them as he heads for the phone, dialing a number and waiting.
"Rupert." The voice is gravelly from sleep, and Ripper exhales once more before he clears his throat.
"I need you here." He can hear some shuffling in the background as the person on the opposite line sits up from bed, and for a moment there is only silence. "She's gone."
"What do you need?" Tired eyes trail over to the couch, the ticking of his clock breaking the oppressive silence.
"Whatever you 'ave, whatever you can spare." Another cigarette is lit when the other side of the line is silent for a time, the two just stealing the small moment. "He'll need you too."
"I'll be there soon, alright? I'll call some people I know for...for the girl, and they'll tend to her."
"Door's open." Ripper hangs up before the person on the other end can say anything else, shaking his head as he treads up to the loft. A blood-soaked shirt is cast aside and a fresh turtleneck is slipped on, his extra smokes are grabbed from the nightstand before he heads back down the stairs, grabbing a chair and dragging it outside before closing the front door.
Ripper sits and waits, just smoking one by one until a familiar warlock and two unidentified women soon trail down to his courtyard, the two hanging back with a stretcher as the warlock approaches Ripper with a slight frown.
"Who're they?" Ripper stubs out his umpteenth cigarette as the other stands before him, taking an offered hand when he moves to stand.
"They're from a funeral home that owes me a favor, they'll come take care of her."
"Ah...she's on the couch." The women nod before heading inside his home, both giving pitying looks as they get down to business with Buffy's body. Ethan watches as Ripper fades, cradling Rupert as he sags into his open arms with a noise he can't describe, gently drawing the man away to sit on the edge of the dried-out fountain in his courtyard. The morticians are quick and gentle, Ethan shielding the other from seeing the stretcher eventually wheeling by with the foreboding black bag on top, waving a free hand to make one of his neighbors forget the sight when they poke a curious head out.
They sit together for a long time, not even the heat of the California sun warming the dead void of Rupert's heart.
-----
Xander isn't sure how he was able to convince Dawn's school she was going to be out for a few days due to illness, but as he steps out of the front doors and into the sun, he sighs in relief.
The night had been long, signing forms and talking to nurses as his friends and family were treated, and he was glad that he'd been named a primary contact by Buffy a long time ago for Dawn. She'd not said a word after Willow had pried her away from Spike, those eyes that normally sparkled dull as her wounds were tended to by a nameless doctor, one hand holding his in a grip that could shatter bone. He didn't blame her, Ben had truly seemed like a nice guy until his secret was outed, and a small part of him didn't care that he was dead.
Xander didn't see what happened, but had been the only one to see Giles come from the room Buffy had been fighting the bitch inside, taking off those familiar glasses with a steady look.
Good.
The drive toward his home is silent, and he can't help but remember the day Joyce died, how the world had been muted as if in mourning. A lot of that day is a blur, but for some reason today is the opposite, every twist and turn and car that he passes seemingly etched into his mind. He doesn't want to remember all of this, doesn't want to be able to recall the crunch of gravel under his boots when he decided to stop outside of a familiar bar, the various demon patrons either paying him no mind or staring at the human who stalls at the entrance.
"Hey, kid." Willy gives him a wave, the movement jump-starting his feet to start moving forward, the bartender whispering something to his employee before slipping out from behind the bar with a small smile. "You look like you could eat."
"Eat? I guess?" He's not sure the last time he ate, honestly, and doesn't question when he's led to the back with a friendly arm on his back. The room still smells of blood as they move, and Xander can't help but wince when he catches a resting Spike safely out of the sunlight in what was most likely a break room, the vampire more bandages and braces than anything else. "He gonna be okay?"
Xander wants to laugh when he thinks Spike looks like death.
"Vampires heal quick, so I wouldn't worry too much." Willy whistled into the kitchen, motioning for Xander to park it on any of the chairs scattered around as he called out an order Xander couldn't quite catch. He ends up choosing a worn armchair, eyes drifting to the sleeping vampire in a mixture of concern and faint distaste.
He'd not been a fan of learning that Spike had moved into the Summers' household after Joyce's death, disgusted to see blood in the damn fridge after a research party was wrapping up. Yet, despite his anger, seeing the way Dawn in particular had cheered up with the vampire's company, it melted the barrier a little bit. Despite knowing she was some mystical fancy schmancy key that hadn't existed for long, Xander loved her like the little sister he never had, so the comments and jabs lessened, the two usually riffing on Angel to send Buffy's eyes rolling to their laughter. Hell, he really was a hopeless case when Buffy asked his help to fix the basement floor into something more for Spike. Both he and the vampire were surprised when he agreed to take on the project, the bitching lighthearted but neverending as the basement project began.
Xander is shaken from his thoughts when something warm is placed in his hands, a bowl of some sort of stew when he looks down.
"On the house, just for today." The bartender pat his shoulder before pointing to a red bottle that had been set on a table close to Spike. "If he wakes, make sure he drinks it aight?"
"Okay." Xander shrugged, already inhaling the stew he'd have to kill for the recipe to as the other headed back to the bar. Days of being on the run and trying to save Dawn's life had suppressed his appetite, and now it was returning with a vengeance, a demon he'd never seen before showing up with more when Xander had finished his first helping. "Oh, thanks!"
The other nods and leaves with the empty bowl, the human truly stuffed by the time he drinks the last of the broth and slumps back with a yawn.
"Smells good." Jerking forward, he looks over towards the far wall, a slowly waking Spike looking confused at his surroundings.
"Hey man, how ya feelin'?" The vampire blinks as Xander hauls himself onto his feet, suddenly wishing he'd gone home to his bed when the room spins and his spine aches.
"Like shite." He snorts at the honest response, moving towards the bottle and swapping out the empty bowl for the carafe of blood.
"Well, yea, you broke like 90% of your bones I heard." The younger man winced as he stalked over, pulling off the cap. "Time to eat deadboy, think you can?"
"Just hold it," Spike grumbled, far too exhausted to snipe back as he shifted his face, not missing the slight tremble of Xander's hand as the bottle was raised to his lips. The human blood nearly comes back out as fast as it goes down, but Spike needs it desperately, so he drains every last drop before dropping his head back with a quiet wheeze. Surprisingly, the whelp checks him over in concern, and after seeing no visible signs of stitches tearing or the like, he sets the carafe on another table.
"You need anything else?" He watches as Spike reverts his face with a small shake of his head.
"How's the Bit doin'?"
"She's...not good." Spike's brow furrows as Xander goes back to the chair he'd been in before, dragging it over to Spike's side before settling back in. "She's okay physically but hasn't spoken a word since we got her to Tara and Willow's dorm. I had to tell her school she'd be gone, and then I came here for...uh, well, I'm not sure? And now, we're just sitting and talking, or well I'm sitting and you're more lying, but talking all the same." He knows he's rambling, but for once, Spike says nothing, just watching with that gaze akin to an X-ray.
"Is she safe?"
"No one's gonna get to her, not with two witches by her side." Xander clenched his fist, watching his knuckles turn white as he waited for Spike to answer, only to realize he's asleep when he looked up. He decides that the vampire might have something there, and after adjusting his seating, the carpenter is out like a light, suddenly not afraid to be asleep next to a vampire.
---
It's so strange to have her mind back.
Tara doesn't remember anything past seeing Glory lunge for her head, but had a good guess when she "awoke" in the middle of a battle to save Dawn, Willow tearfully hugging her when she saw her mind was restored. What little elation they both had gotten back was taken just as quickly when Buffy sacrificed herself, Tara doing everything in her power to keep Willow upright as she screamed in agony for her dead friend. Giles was the one to take charge after an agonizingly long amount of time, Tara's eyes tearing from Buffy's corpse to look at the rest of the group to take in their injuries. Anya is being carried by Xander, blood spilling down her face and one arm is bent at an awkward angle as she bites back cries of pain. Dawn is holding her side as she slowly moves down the stairs, and any other thought is cut off when there is a noise that defeans the world. She jumps when it seems to rattle her bones, Xander stumbling back while Giles stares at the source with a pained look she's never seen before.
It was Spike, the vampire crumpled on the floor with his head in his hands, letting out a wail that was the very definition of pain.
Dawn is the only one to move, stumbling over bits of construction before kneeling down, hugging Spike the best she was able.
"Xander…find a car, we need to get everyone - well - most everyone to the hospital." His voice has an edge Tara hasn't heard before, but judging by the way he leaves without a word, carrying Anya as he rushes off to find whatever he can to drive them to the hospital. The remaining eyes turn to the vampire, Giles unsure of what to do as he couldn't take the broken man to a conventional hospital.
It's her time to step up.
"I'll take him," Tara offers, feeling Willow stiffen against her side as the Watcher looks over. She places a gentle kiss on Willow's cheek before motioning to Dawn, who was beginning to look unsteady as she cradled Spike. "G-Go, keep Dawn safe." Willow looked unsure, but with a gentle prod, they headed over towards Dawn, who gave them an unweary look.
"Dawn? It's going to be okay." Willow leaned down when she reached Dawn's side, the teenager looking at her with wide eyes.
"B-But he fell, a-and his bones are broken, and we don't have any blood left." She sounded terrified as she looked up at them, waiting for an answer that was going to fix everything.
"Go pet, I'll be right as rain." Spike's voice is scratchy as he gives Dawn's knee a gentle squeeze, and the small smile he gives her is enough to get Dawn to slowly stand up to lean against Willow. Tara takes her place to help Spike sit up, the vampire putting on airs until the moment Dawn and Willow round a corner to freedom, nigh-on collapsing with a pained noise.
"Take him to Willy's, he knows." Giles helps get Spike up and roughly onto his feet, the vampire surprisingly light as Tara starts the hobble down familiar side streets. Spike is breathing in time with his steps, body trembling as he suppresses any noises of pain as he moves his battered body.
"I-I'm sorry, we'll b-be there soon." She hoped she was a comfort as they took a turn, the vampire's face changing when some demons took an interest in the duo. Tara supposes she should be scared stiff at the growl he makes, but strangely, she doesn't as the demons take off running from the angry man. "T-That is so cool."
"Thanks luv." Spike mumbled something she couldn't catch, his steps becoming increasingly unsteady. "Wish everythin' would stop spinnin'."
"Willy's is v-very close, I see the sign." Tara soothed, the vampire mumbling again and putting all his energy into walking one step at a time. Neither of them is sure how they'd managed to get to the bar, but Willy shoos her out with a fresh shirt and some takeaway almost an hour later.
"He's gonna be fine, you go where you're needed eh?" His kindness, along with Clem offering the exhausted witch a ride to the hospital helped push some fear away, the sympathetic demon chattering away about something to fill the silence on the ride over.
"T-Thank you for the ride Clem," Tara whispered when they pulled up at the back entrance, the other giving her a small smile.
"You're good people, want to make sure you're safe. Give little Dawn my best will you?"
"Of course." He doesn't stick around once she's out of the car, and the next few hours are spent tracking down Xander and the others, waiting for the discharge paperwork and then an awkward drive to the campus.
Revello Drive is far too painful to be at right now, so it's silently decided Dawn would spend a day or two until Giles reappeared and they could properly discuss what was next. Dawn drifted off at some point, curled up against Tara on her bed while she and the other two quietly talked about everything and nothing, filling the void until Xander left to deal with Dawn's school.
"Poor Dawn." Willow's voice is a whisper as she kneels on the floor beside Dawn's head, the tears again starting as she gently squeezes the teen's lax hand. "What will we do now?"
"Protect her." Tara carefully leans down and kisses the top of the sleeping girl's head. "Love her, make sure she knows that we'll all be here for her." Willow sniffles as she watches Dawn sleep, a firm resolve settling in her gaze when she stops crying again.
"No one will ever hurt her again." Willow looks up when Tara extends her hand. After some awkward shuffling, she and Willow hold Dawn between them as exhaustion finally takes over, and sleep grants them temporary peace.
