Title:Shoot and Bolt
Author: Gomes
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Pairing: Giles/Jenny
Rating: T
Spoilers: Ted
Warnings: Some sexual themes.
Summary: "Look at you. Can't move. Can't defend yourself. You're helpless. At my mercy."
Disclaimer: All known characters and premises belong to their respective owners. So there.
Notes: After their trip to the hospital.
Jenny gripped the steering wheel tightly, guilt and concern festering in her gut as she subtly cast glances his way, every now and then. She frowned, not even wanting to think of how uncomfortable he must be, having to sit half on his side, to avoid any pressure on his back, where eighteen stitches would soon form a scar; just another reminder of the dangers his life harbored.
Pulling up, she parked in his designated space and killed the engine. "Rupert?" Unbuckling her belt, she leaned over and passed a hand through his hair, trying to rouse him from sleep.
His eyes fluttered open, and he twisted his neck, looking at her over his shoulder. "Home?"
She nodded, not being able to meet his gaze. She wanted to apologize, but her last fifteen apologies had fallen to deaf ears. She knew he was tired and in a lot of pain, not to mention that he would soon feel the effects of the strong pain relievers that were administered to him in the hospital; getting him to his room, safe and as comfortable as possible was the least she could do.
Walking around, she opened the car door for him, slipping a hand underneath his arm and helping him up. She helped him walk, bearing most of his weight and stopping to allow him to catch his breath when needed. They finally made it to his front door and she glanced at him, taking in the sheen of sweat on his forehead, his eyes screwed tight, and the way his body seemed to shake slightly.
She reached around him, pressing a hand to his left thigh and then slowly dragging it up. Frowning, she repeated the motion with his right thigh, ignoring the strain in his voice as he questioned her. She dug her hand in his right pocket, fishing out his keys. Turning to face him, she cocked her head to the side, giving him a smile. "C'mon. Let's get you to bed. It looks like you're going to pass out."
Giles stepped in to his place, the need for tea an almost Pavlovian response.
"Nah-uh. No tea. Straight to bed."
He let out a breathy chuckle, looking at her with lidded eyes. "You must know me too well." He murmured softly, as he allowed her to guide him upstairs.
"Not well enough, Rupert." It was whispered, unsure whether she wanted him to hear it.
He glanced at her, having heard her soft reply, looking at her with curious eyes. He wondered if she was still angry with him - as angry as he was with himself for putting her in harm's way.
When they finally made it to his room, he sat on the edge of the bed, the side closest to the window. Sitting down, he gazed out into the blackened sky until she drew the blinds closes. "I-um," he paused, unsure how to tackle the situation. "My dressing needs a change. I was wondering if…would you…" He sighed aloud, dropping his chin to his chest.
He raised his eyes, watching her through his lashes as she crouched down in front of him, fingers finding the buttons of his shirt. One by one, she undid them with eternal gentleness, eyes never leaving his. She grabbed both lapels, and slid them off his shoulders, fingers grazing the heated skin underneath.
"Lie down."
He acquiesced, watching as she folded the shirt and tossed it in the laundry hamper that stood beside his bureau. Lowering himself slowly on to his stomach, he folded his arms underneath the pillow, resting his cheek against the cool material. He watched her descend the stairs, staring unblinking until she returned with gauze, anti-septic and some tape. He smiled softly to himself: she looked at home here.
He caught her eye, holding her gaze as if almost trying to transmit his thought to her: she belonged here.
"I-I think the meds are kicking in," he began, a little cheerfully. "Doesn't even hurt." He smiled, before cringing slightly. "Much."
He smiled when she did, both looking away with embarrassment seconds later. He held his breath as he felt her approach, felt her warm hand press down between his shoulder blades in a sign of comfort - a sign begging for trust.
She glanced down at him, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply as she felt his warmth almost wrap around her soul through their contact. "Oh God," she replied, shakily, taking a step back. Their energy scared her, how affected she was by this simple touch. She ravished him with her eyes, letting her gaze travel the strength of his back, the muscles firm and developed. She wanted more and suddenly, she feared their trust. She trusted him with her life, despite the minor setback that was the embodiment of Eyghon, but she wondered the repercussions of his trust of her.
She wondered how long she could last, not being able to control her desires - the ones that pooled, seeping to her very core. Her heart, mind and soul finally spoke the same language, agreeing mutually of his existence in her life and hers in his. Hurdles would always be present, but her soul would forever be bound to his.
She opened her mouth to convey her thoughts, but his soft voice interrupted her.
He closed his eyes, a sad smile flitting across his lips before he curbed his emotions. He had heard her reaction after touching him, thinking that she had been repulsed by him, he decided to save them both the embarrassment. "Jenny, I…y-you don't have to clean it. I'm sure I can manage with some, anti-septic and gauze," he trailed off, pushing himself up. He winced, breathing in sharply, an expletive tripping off his tongue.
"Oh nonono," she replied quickly, her hand touching his back once again. She rubbed his right shoulder softly, inciting him to lie back down. "Trust me, Rupert, it's not what you think." She laughed, shaking her head. "Lie still, let me clean your wound." Putting one knee on the bed, she reached over and slowly peeled off the dressing, whispering an apology as he cursed under his breath. Opening the bottle of disinfectant, she wet a piece of gauze with the liquid. Placing a hand on his right shoulder, she gently swabbed the left side of his lower back, cringing every time she heard him hiss. Taking another piece of gauze, she pressed it over the wound, and carefully taped it up.
She sat back on her knee, the other foot still firmly planted on the floor, and stared at his back, memorizing the strong lines, the battle scars of victory and defeat. His back had a light sheen of sweat, over-exertion from getting into bed. "I uh…I should go."
He let out a throaty laugh, closing his eyes, self-pitied and disgusted with himself. He cursed himself thinking that she would have forgiven him so easily. So quickly. He shook his head slightly, knowing that he could never forgive himself for putting her in danger. Swallowing hard, he cleared his throat. "Yes, well. Thanks for t-taking me to the hospital -"
" - hey, it was the least I could do. I pretty much sent you there to begin with…not my best work, I'll admit." She retorted, though the smile in her voice did not reach her eyes.
"All forgotten, yes?" He waited for a reply, letting out a deep breath when her voice didn't emerge. "Right, well, please to lock the door on your way out. I don't think I can fend off...nor greet any visitors."
"Sure. Yeah." She took another step back, eyes unwilling to remove themselves from his form. "I'll see you later, England."
"Night." He listened to her descend the stairs, counted the steps to his door and heard it close and finally lock. His flat now lay in silence, and he listened to the random sounds that he often forgot still tinkered around him on a constant basis. The leaky faucet. The house settling. The tree's leaves that sometimes caressed the window.
He closed his eyes, trying to will the throbbing pain in his side to cease it's pulsating reminder. Slowly, his vision darkened as the meds began their gentle pull into slumber.
He woke, breath held, wondering if his ears were playing tricks on him. Perhaps the medication was creating some paranoia in the back of his mind, knowing that in his current state, weakness was more than present.
But silence remained constant. He swallowed hard, realizing that the medication was starting to wear off. He reached over and opened the bottle , popping two pills in his mouth and chasing them both with a large gulp of water. He groaned, as he felt the stitches pull as he put the glass back on the bedside table.
A quick glance at the clock showed that two hours had past since Jenny had left. He chuckled sadly to himself, realizing that two hours of constant sleep was the most he had gotten since Eyghon's return.
He let out a shaky breath as his body involuntarily spasmed, causing a sharp pain to shoot up his side. He twisted his body slightly, adding to the accumulating pain. He dug his nails into the skin around the wound, wanting to scratch it but still fighting with control. Suddenly, gentle fingers gripped his wrist, slowly removing his hand from his back and inciting him to relax with a soothing touch.
"You'll make it worse."
He let out a breathy laugh, cringing as it sent another stabbing pain through his body. "Ah. Right, so no laughing." He opened his mouth to speak before closing it again, cursing his stuttering ways. "You ehm...you came back?"
"Yeah, well I had to come back. You know, to take advantage of you in your weakened state." She folded her arms across her chest, tongue pressed against the roof of her mouth as she stalked her prey.
"Ehm, uh, w-what?" He glanced at her over his shoulder, a perplexed look on his face. "I'm sorry, I thought I heard you -"
"You heard right, Rupert." She walked around to the other side of the bed, kneeling down on the floor until she was face to face with him.
"Look at you. Can't move. Can't defend yourself. You're helpless. At my mercy." Her eyes twinkled, a slow smile spreading on her face. "And I plan on taking full advantage." She ran a hand down his back, leaning forward until her lips just barely brushed his. "I'm installing a computer in your living room, as we speak."
She pulled back, a smug look on her face at the mixture of emotions that graced his features: worry, fear, confusion before finally dwindling to comprehension.
"It's very inhumane to tease the wounded, you know." He stated, though a smile did creep up on his lips.
"Yeah well," she began, running a hand through his hair, "when you're more ... mobile again, I'll really show you how well I tease." She raised an eyebrow, a tight-lipped smile devilishly taunting him.
"As much as I am loving the ehm, lovely imagery you are providing, why did you come back?" He asked, closing his eyes as her fingers traced his cheek bone. He smiled a sigh.
"Had to get a change of clothes. You know, some of us do have work tomorrow."
"Y-your staying?" He cleared his throat, trying to hide his surprise.
"What, you didn't think I'd shoot you and bolt, did you?" She paused, a pensive look on her face. "Pun intended." She smiled, hers growing wider when his presented itself on his lips.
"You uh, you needn't stay out of guilt, Jenny. I sincerely believe it to be an accident -"
She rolled her eyes. "Trust me, it's not what I necessarily did that is making me feel guilty." She stood up, taking off her shirt before him. "It's what I want to do to you, England."
He opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it, opening it again, only to mouth non-sensical words before his lips fell into a pursed position.
"God. How sick is it that I take so much pleasure in making you squirm?" She reached into her bag and pulled out a t-shirt.
"Come now, it's not…" His brow furrowed as he paused, considering her statement. "Actually, it's quite malevolent, yes." He watched as she turned her back to him, unhooking her bra and letting it fall to the floor. She glanced at him over her shoulder, a coquettish smile dancing on her lips as she slipped on her t-shirt.
She caught him watching her, observed the way his Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed hard, his attention solely focused on her. "Problem?" She asked, eyebrows raised.
He shook his head without missing a beat. "No-no. Please, by all means, do continue."
She rolled her eyes, grinning as she sat down in the chair close to his window, crossing one leg over the other as she began to roll down her stockings. She smiled, watching him watching her legs. Definitely male, she mused to herself. She slipped off her skirt, folding it and putting it in a small pile on the chair beside her. She slipped on a pair of cotton shorts and stood in front of the bed. "You're gonna have to move a bit, England."
"Um, right." With her help, he managed to shift into the center of the bed.
Climbing in, she straightened the covers over them and settled on her back. She tilted her head to the side, giving him a sly smile. "First time in bed together. Is it how you imagined it?"
He scoffed, shifting slightly until his body was pressed up against hers. Lying half on his right side, half on his stomach, he rested his head against her chest, his forehead pressed against her neck. "Let's see. You. Me. My bed." He closed his eyes, a small smile on his lips. "Exactly as I imagined it."
She brought her hand up, allowing her fingers to tangle in his locks at the base of his head. "And there was no wild, passionate hot, wet sex in those daydreams, England?" She gave him a toothy grin, loving the blush that now coloured his cheeks and the better part of his neck.
He let out a small laugh, placing an arm over her and pressing himself closer. He reached up, hesitantly placing a kiss against her neck. "I'm ah...I'm really sorry about everything, Jenny. I just...I really never meant for any harm to come to you…"
She smiled, reaching a hand underneath his chin and forcing him to look at her. "I'm sorry. I...shouldn't have treated you the way I did. I just...it was a way for me to get -some- kind of control, y'know? I had my body taken and...and I needed some control. I shouldn't have taken it out on you, Rupert." She paused, searching his eyes. "And then I go and shoot you in the back." She let out a nervous laugh. "God, am I a lousy girlfriend or what?"
"Girlfriend?"
"Aren't I?"
"Are you?"
They paused, staring at each other.
"Well, this setting is too intimate for acquaintances and it can't be lover," she glanced at him, "yet, because we haven't....well, y'know."
He paused, allowing the hand that was draped over her stomach to lightly skim over her bare arm, all the way up to her shoulder. His fingers delighted in the feel of her silky skin, and he allowed them to skirt across her collarbone, and up the center of her neck. "You know, Jenny…I um…" He took a deep breath. "Jenny. Look. I…I can't stop thinking about you. And…right now, seeing your body…I just…I-I don't think you'll ever see me this forward when saying that I would very much like to experience this joining with you…"
"That was forward?" She asked, the corner of her lip curved upwards. "Look, maybe we should just wait, y'know? I…I don't want you to over-exert yourself. To um, hurt anything that might…prevent us from doing the kinky stuff later."
He leaned forward, placing a kiss on her shoulder. "I am on painkillers."
She closed her eyes, tilting her head to rest against his. "Yeah, but later on, you're gonna feel it."
"Well, I heard that post-coital aches can be quite satisfying -"
"- that's not the kind of pain I was talking about," she laughed, placing a kiss on his forehead. She cocked her head to the side, replaying his last words. "Wait, you've heard. Oh God. Don't tell me that you've never…"
"Oh. No! I mean, yes. I mean…no. I mean, yes I have engaged in acts of that kind of well, of sexual nature. In my younger years…"
Jenny stared blankly at him, blinking once.
"I've had sex."
"Good. It's just…"
"Been awhile," he answered. "Yes. Probably too long." They both sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. "Um…it is just like riding a bicycle, isn't it?"
"Don't think you're gonna be doing much riding there, England."
"Try me." He challenged her, reaching forward and placing a kiss on her cheek. He tilted her head towards him, thumb gently brushing her lip before he captured them with his mouth. He kissed her hard, head tilted in order to gain a deeper access, as he slipped his tongue between her lips. He pulled back slightly, tilting his head the other way and attacking her mouth with the same fervor. He let his hand trail down, resting on her hip before sliding down to cup her inner thigh.
Both their breathing soon began to get ragged, as Jenny kissed him back with equal passion. She slid a hand down his left shoulder, pulling him closer as their tongues dueled. She squeezed him, wanting to feel his body closer to hers.
Giles let out a groan, pausing for a second as he pressed his forehead against her shoulder.
"That a good kind of groan or a bad kind?" She asked, breath ragged and voice laced with lust.
"Good. It's um, it's it's good." He replied, eyes closed tightly.
"You lying?" She brushed a hand through his hair, allowing it to rest against the nape of his neck.
"Very much so, actually."
She laughed lightly, gazing down at him.
"You know, one normally doesn't laugh during sex…or the moments leading up to. Well at least in my fantasies you don't."
"It's funny because, God, this is so awkward…wait, you've had fantasies about me?"
"I'm still a man, Jenny." He answered defensively, though his fingers began to trace shapes along the side of her neck. "Wait, you think this is awkward?"
"I shot you in the back with a crossbow, a week after a demon you conjured up in your youth, possessed me. We're trying to attempt to have a soon to be slow, painful sex while you're looped up on painkillers. You don't find this awkward?"
"Well no, I mean…it's different and um, a li-little -" He looked at her expression and sighed. "Bloody awkward."
"Well next time, we'll have a little more fun, shall we? Up against the door. Oh, the library! Delightfully kinky."
"Yes I suppose that would be rather naughty - wait, did you say 'next time'…?"
"Good. Glad you caught that."
-finis-