TITLE: Interesting Girl
Ship: None
DISCLAIMER: Personally I think the characters belong to those who love them... the law however differs... so I own none of it, only borrowing them for a few moments and promise to give them back
WARNING: Slightly different set up than the show gave us - in this story Giles has offered to temporarily house Faith on the illusion that she is just in town till her watcher gets back from retreat. No shipping between them here.
Just a short story in response to the Challenge for a Giles at Play story.
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Interesting Girl
Faith flipped from one channel to the next bored with what the television had to offer this sunday afternoon. Buffy was studying with Willow and Xander for a test Faith wasn't in on so she decided to veg out on the couch till nightfall when she could look for some patroling action.
"Must you do that?" Giles's voice wafted over to her from the table where he was researching ... as always it seemed.
"Hmm? What? " She glanced over puzzled.
"That incessant changing channels. Choose a program and leave it there or better yet choose a book and challenge your mind." He suggested.
'Gotta be kidding' She thought as she turned off the TV and strode over to him. "What ya reading?" Peering at her over his glasses he set the volume down so she could see the cover - "Ancient Sumerian Rituals Revised". "You look like you could use a break." She ignored his protest at having the book taken from his hands and tossed onto the couch.
Twenty minutes later the chess board was set up and she was starting to rethink this. 'Chess is not exactly what I call having fun but he is just too cute to bail on' Giles carefully and droningly explained the movements, vocabulary of the game, and stragety. Faith's eyes started to gloss over after the review of opening number ten. She moved her pawn forward a space. 'Anything to get this moving' she inwardly groaned. He studied the board breifly and counter moved. Move, counter move, move, counter move.. Faith was looking more and more towards the door planning an escape. "Faith.. Faith? It's your move."
"Oh yeah, my bad." she tried to fake a convincing smile.
"It's obvious you are not into this. Why don't you return to your testing of the remote control on the TV and I will return to my research." Half way out of his chair, Faith suggested ... or rather dared him a new game. Intrigued he agreed.
Four hours later Buffy knocked at the door only to find no immediate answer. Curious and with a shadow of concern she opened the door and walked in. The site that met with her eyes caused her to try unsuccessfully to stifle a laugh. Looking up from the twister matt to find Buffy chuckling ready to burst into full laughing, Faith and Giles crumpled down to the floor.
"Buffy! I didn't expect you till almost six. " Smoothing down his shirt and immediately removing his glasses to clean He tried to regain his composure. Buffy pointed to the clock. Glasses back on he looked over to find that it was 6:10 pm . "Oh well I suppose time got away from us."
"And that is not all.. " Buffy held up one of Giles's shoes. The watcher ducked his head and quickly put the shoe back on.
"Hey B, ready to patrol?" Faith had grabbed her jacket as Giles was practicing turning shades of red.
"Sure... " Buffy turned to head out and Faith trailed behind her taking a moment to give Giles a slap on the back and as she went past the table with the chess board she moved her knight into position.
"Check!" Faith called to Giles as she walked out the door.
He looked in astonishment first to the door where the slayers had parted then at the chess board where his knight lay in mortal danger. "Check ... indeed. Interesting girl."
The End