Summary: Riley tries to connect with Buffy. Some bittersweet S5 Briley.
Characters: Buffy, Riley
Timeline: Takes place during "The Replacement" (S5 ep3)
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
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"Aww… It's so…" Buffy tried to think of the right word. Cute? Sweet? Odd? Awkward?
In her hand was a tiny, old-fashioned tin Texaco pump.
The boyish twinkle in Riley's eyes dulled a bit, but his smile remained. "You don't like it."
He said that so matter-of-factly that it was like he'd expected her response.
Damn. "No, no, it's great. I just…" Buffy gave him a look that said huh?
"It's from my train set back home."
She met his gaze, tried to figure out what this could mean. Was he homesick? Admitting an embarrassing hobby?
"I… I was thinking of when we met. And we had to keep stuff from each other. Secrets."
He seemed so vulnerable then, and Buffy's heart gave a pang of tenderness. But she still didn't understand.
"Remember 'petroleum'?" Riley offered a brighter smile, trying coax something out of both of them.
It took a few more moments of staring at his gentle eyelashes for her to recall that afternoon's conversation. Patrolling, was what she had told him she was planning to do. But he wasn't allowed to know that then, so she had grasped at any similar-sounding word she could find in that second and came up with petroleum. Buffy's lips curled into a grin at the memory.
That's when Riley started counting.
Nine seconds.
The longest smile she'd had in as many weeks.
It gave him hope. Maybe there was still a way to fix this, fix them. Maybe he just hadn't thought of it yet.
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