Title: Tempered Mischief

Author: The Serpent Guardian

Fandom: Buffy: the Vampire Slayer

Disclaimer: Not mine, making no money. Joss Whedon owns, he makes money.

Pairing: Giles/Ethan

Rating: M

Warnings: Slash. Very soft lime. Non-canon-ness. Language.

Spoilers: For 'Halloween' the fifth episode in season two.

Summary: Ethan Rayne likes mischief, but loves Ripper.

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Notes: Unbeta'd. This was just a quick ficlet I wrote before class. Sorry, no sex. Not my best writing or plotline. But, unlike most Halloween fics, I didn't change Xander's costume. -sticks out tongue-

Possible follow up companion pieces.

Enjoy!

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Tempered Mischief

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A dark haired man looked down at the battered notebook in his hand. A mischievous smile appeared on his face. It had taken longer then he had first thought and was more difficult then he had wanted. Many times he had wanted to quit and just do it; to hell with the consequences! But every time he saw his eyes. Those dark eyes filled with guilt and misery. And every time he was filled with conviction once again.

He wouldn't allow those misdirected, conceited, idiotic, collective heads up their collective arses, bastards to continue fucking with what was his. Not that anyone could actually own Ripper. His smile became fond and slightly wistful. That's why he was doing this. His Ripper shouldn't be left to continue blaming himself in such a way. What they did wasn't wrong, and he was going to remind Ripper of that.

Quickly, he gathered together all the things he would need. Soon things would be as they should be. With one last smile, he bordered the plane that would take him to his Ripper.

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Ethan Rayne flipped the sign from "Closed" to "Open." It was time to gather the participants for this particular prank. He smirked; oh this was going to be fun!

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After the store was closed for the day, Ethan let out peals of insane laughter. He'd been holding it in since the slayer had come in with two friends and bought their costumes. A dress! The slayer was going as a noble woman! More manic giggles followed. He was suddenly very glad he had decided to take the time to take precautions.

With a smile that was half-mischief and half-anticipation, Ethan prepared the letter to his dear Ripper.

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Rupert Giles got up from his desk. It was late, later then he had thought, but he had just gotten a shipment of new books and while sorting them he'd ended up getting lost in one. After getting a cup of tea, he went over to the other mail he'd discarded in favor of the books

He quickly sorted through them. Bill. Bill. Junk. Junk. Junk. Wrong address. Junk. Cou- He stopped and looked more carefully at that last. No, it wasn't from the council. Quickly he opened it and read through the list of spells and ingredients. A snarl began to twist his lips, but he continued on to the last page:

My dear Ripper,

More then likely you are glaring and snarling at this letter. No, don't stop just because I pointed it out. You know how I love your snarls.

He had started to stop then his snarl turned into a smile.

Now before you rush off to do bodily harm to me, take a closer look at these spells. I made sure to include precautions. I wanted your attention, not your anger.

I placed spells on everything in my store to protect the buyer and/or wearer from being killed, drained, tortured, raped or otherwise harmed by any nonhuman or by another under the influence of their costumes. I also included spells that would keep said buyer/wearer from doing such deeds themselves.

As a sign of understanding of your concerns and acceptance of them, I placed a memory charm on everything. They won't remember any of this as more then a dream, unless they choose to.

After being kept from you for so long and trying to think of any possible way for you to take me back I have discovered that it isn't Chaos I want. It's you. I want you. You and me. (Preferably causing mischief.)

You know where to find me.

Looking down at the letter, Giles felt the smile widen. Somehow Ethan had managed to break away from the council and their bindings.

A quick shower and change of clothes and Ripper left to find his mischievous lover.

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Ethan was startled out of his thoughts when he heard the door to the backroom open. He smiled, he had locked that door. His Ripper was here and he suddenly appeared before him. They spoke no words; everything that needed to be said was in their eyes.

They met in the center of the room, their lips locked and their bodies pressed flush to one another. At some point, they had lost their clothes and were tangled together on the floor. Ethan arched his back as Ripper filled him. It had been too long since he had been taken as only Ripper could, as only Ripper ever would.

Their joining was fast and filled with long suppressed passion. As they lay entwined they found themselves healed. The pain of their separation, the twisting of their memories was soothed, healed. They were together again; they were whole.

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The mischief from Halloween faded, the citizens of Sunnydale woke the next morning all thinking about what strange dreams they had had. All except a young witch and her best friend. They looked at each other from across the pillow they had been sharing and smirked. Life on the Hellmouth was just about to get a helluva lot more interesting

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End.

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