Coincidences

With his nerves creating havoc and causing him to second-guess himself, Giles tries to ignore the doubts swirling in his head and styles his hair in a sort of rakish mess. Once finished, he stares at his reflection in the mirror. He looks ridiculous and, though he knows that is the point, he can't help but groan at the hideous red and green jumper with the bells and snowflakes patterned through it.

Had that been the extent of it, perhaps he'd feel a bit more comfortable, but the addition of the giant Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer appliqué on the front complete with the light up, blinking red nose truly is the epitome of tacky. But in the spirit of the season and the theme of the party, tacky is the point.

Not that he would be taking home a prize for his efforts as host of the party… or co-host rather.

He takes a deep breath, stands straighter, and fusses with his hair a bit more. The barber cut it a bit shorter than he cares for and a grunt of disapproval escapes his throat at his attempts to style it properly.

Usually he revels in dressing up. Masquerades, Halloween parties, plays in school and at university. But this occasion is different. For this party he'd asked Buffy to help him co-host. He'd also asked her if she would accompany him as his date… in a round about and overly convoluted way, made worse for having broached the idea in the lift at the office when she'd been completely absorbed in some crisis and overwhelmed by a hard deadline.

At her look of confusion and incredulity at the timing of his request, he'd quickly mumbled an apology and told her he would speak with her later. A week had passed before he'd gathered enough courage to bring up the topic again with her and she'd smiled and replied that she would love to help him host and be his plus one.

Plus one. Giles stops his nervous primping at the connotation of the words.

"Plus one, you… berk!" he growls to himself. It's definitely not the same thing as a date.

Anyone can be a plus one. Sister. Brother. Business partner. Friend. Eying himself in the mirror, hair greying faster than he'd like, he notes the diamond stud in his left ear and relegates himself to that hated category he'd once placed himself in to deliberately distance himself from her. "Rakish uncle," he sighs - a role he certainly never wanted to play in her life. As his eyes fall to the ridiculous reindeer with the winking red nose on his torso, Giles amends his statement. "Complete and utter fool!" he chides himself.

He gives up his attempts at taming both his hair and his doubts and checks his watch. Buffy should arrive in just about-

The doorbell rings and he is out of time.

"Moment of truth, old boy," he states, and in one last effort to psyche himself up, he pulls off the hated sweater and deposits it on the back of the sofa in the lounge. He'll put it on just before the rest of the guests are due to arrive.

His mood lightens with every step as he makes his way towards the door. The nerves that had been clattering through his stomach change to a sort of giddy excitement and by the time he reaches for the handle on the door, his smile reaches his eyes. Yes, he is totally besotted.

Buffy stands before him in her black wool coat and a red and black cap with a festive holly broach holding several shopping bags. "Hi, Giles." Her smile lights up his world. "Wow, loving this look you have going on and I really like your hair short like that!"

Giles beams at her compliment. Perhaps he'll get used to his hair at this new length, and he's pleased that he'd chosen to wear the white button down shirt that he'd tucked neatly into black jeans with a subtle red patterned tie dotted with white snowflakes. He hadn't been sure whether it would be too much to dress up beneath the sweater.

"Thank you." Giles quickly moves to take the bags from her and kisses her cheek in greeting. It's not something he ever would have dared before the destruction of Sunnydale, but things have changed significantly for them over the past year and half and it just feels natural. "What have you brought?" he asks placing the bags down to help her with her coat.

She's not wearing a Christmas sweater either, and she looks lovely in her red wool plaid skirt that falls to just above her knees and a white jersey turtleneck. Her long hair falls in waves over her shoulders and she takes his breath away.

"Some hors d'oeuvres, a few decorations, and a bottle of bubbly that is desperately in need of chilling," she answers as he goes to hang her coat on the rack. She picks up one of the bags and heads to the kitchen, passing the lounge on the way.

"Oh… uh… snap."

"What is it?" he asks as he catches up with her.

Buffy is stopped in front of the sofa where Rudolph's nose jauntily blinks on the front of the hated jumper. Her brows are knitted and she looks vexed. "Is that… what you are wearing tonight?"

"Erm… er… I had been planning on it."

"Oh boy!" She reaches into the bag she's holding and holds up the sweater she brought to wear.

His eyes fall to the appliqué of the most famous reindeer of all complete with light-up nose gracing the front of the red and green garment, patterned with bells and snowflakes. He blinks owlishly, in utter disbelief that they have chosen the exact same jumper to wear to the party.

"Well, that is…" Giles, color rising over his neck and cheeks, is without a clue with how to end that statement.

"Uh…yeah…" There is a small, nervous smile tugging at her lips. "Gotta say, this is a first."

"Maybe people won't notice," he suggests and silently berates himself for saying something so stupid.

She looks like she wants to laugh at his naïveté. Instead she gestures at the hideous reindeer and the blinking red lights on their noses. "How do you figure that?"

Trying to make the best of an utterly embarrassing situation, he says, "W-well… people will be mingling and chatting and, of course eating and drinking. Oh! And as… as co-hosts, we probably won't be in the same place at the same time very often."

Her eyes widen at his comment and she places the sweater next to his on the sofa and shrugs. "Oh… I guess." Picking up the shopping bag, she quickly heads towards the kitchen. "No big deal, then."

He can hear the disappointment in her voice and, knowing he's somehow made a hash of things, internally curses the absolute appalling start to the evening.