Title: Anywhere But Here
(Part 2 of my Leaving series, at least I think it will be a series. tba)
Author: Loisarah
Rating: PG
Distrubution: If you want it, let me know, I'd be thrilled.
Feedback: Loisarah@aol.com. no flames, please.
Spoilers: Season 5, AU from the end of Buffy Vs. Dracula, I suppose.
Timeline: Beginning of season 5, taking place after my fic "Leaving"
Warnings: Buffy/Riley (that qualifies as needing a warning, right?)
Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy or Giles, or anyone, and I am writing this
for fun and not profit. Actually, since I pay for the merchandise,
wouldn't it be more like I'm paying Fox and ME?
Summary: Giles is leaving, and Buffy and Riley go to a movie
Author's notes: None Yet
Buffy and Riley sat awkwardly in the Sun Cinema together, waiting for the lights to dim. They'd arrived early for the movie, before the previews. one of only 4 couples in the small theater.
"So." began Riley, still trying to wrap his thoughts around the idea of Mr. Giles leaving. He felt bad for Buffy. not that he felt bad the man was leaving. Riley supposed he was an okay person, if you didn't mind the snooty, irritating, stand-offish-ness of the man.
Okay, truth be told, Riley hated the man, and couldn't understand what Buffy and her "Scooby Gang" saw in him. His relationship with Buffy bothered him. He wasn't sure exactly what type of relationship Mr. Giles and Buffy had, it was so. undefineable. Sure, Buffy had described it once as similar to what he'd had with Prof. Walsh, but Riley knew better. This wasn't just a mentor/student relationship. He was her Watcher, he knew that, but no one ever told him what a Watcher was, or exactly what the Watcher's Council did.
Buffy and Mr. Giles were friends, he was sure of that, though he could never figure out why. He was so. old. A retired librarian and a college girl. it was just weird. Creepy. It was probably good for both of them that he was leaving. now they could both get to know people their own age. It just wasn't right, how attached his girlfriend was to the creepy old guy. And what the hell did he mean by asking if Riley was sorry he was leaving? As if possessed by a territorial instinct, Riley put his arm around Buffy's shoulders and squeezed.
"So." Buffy began, interrupting his thoughts.
"So. what?" Riley asked.
"So. what were you going to say? You started talking, and then stopped."
"Oh, um. I don't remember. So. Mr. Giles is leaving, huh? That's a shame."
Buffy turned to look at him, a serious expression on her face. There was something in Riley's tone that made her uneasy.
"Yeah, he's leaving. he, um.he said he wants to go home to England." Because he loves me. He's leaving me because he loves me. What the hell kind of logic is that? "He's homesick, I guess."
"Oh, well, can't blame the guy, right?" Riley said.
"What do you mean? He belongs here, with me."
Riley squeezed Buffy's shoulder slightly. "Buffy, he's English. belongs in England with other people his age, not hanging around college kids, don't you think?"
Riley winced when he saw the dark look on Buffy's face.
"What do you mean? Giles is my. our friend."
"But. he's old, Buffy. Someone that old shouldn't." Riley was cut off by Buffy.
" 'That old'? What does age have to do with it?" Buffy said, ignoring the little voice in her head asking her 'since when?'
"Buffy. you know what I mean."
"No, I don't. Giles is. just Giles. He's. my friend. And I want him here. I can't. I can't do this without him." She finished. She couldn't. She just. she couldn't.
Riley didn't quite like her answer. "You didn't need him a whole lot last year, Buffy."
Her face darkened. "I did. I just didn't realize it. He's my watcher. he's. Giles. He belongs here with me."
Riley kept his mouth shut. Maybe if he left Buffy would get as possessive over him as she did over Mr. Giles. Not that he said anything like that out loud. No reason to piss Buffy off any more than he already had, although he didn't understand why. He never understood with her.
Buffy and Riley sat in silence again, until Buffy blurted out "Riley, do you want me to act like I'm not as strong as I am? I mean. you love me for me, right?"
"What? Why are you asking me this?"
Because Giles said you did, she thought. "No reason. Just wondering." Wondering if Giles was right about Riley.
"Buffy. have I done something to make you mad?"
"No, um. no."
"Okay."
"Okay."
"So we're good then?"
"Yup. Good as. ever. ever we were," she said lamely.
"Okay. ready to watch the movie?" he asked, smiling down at her, with a smug smile.
Buffy suddenly found herself wanting to be anywhere but here with Riley.
"Oh, watch the movie, huh?" she said, as if trying to make herself want to be there with Riley.
"Yeah, watch," he mimicked, still smiling down at her.
"Yeah, we're ready." She said as the lights dimmed. Riley began to lean in for a kiss, and Buffy tilted her head up to meet his lips.
The End For Now
Buffy and Riley sat awkwardly in the Sun Cinema together, waiting for the lights to dim. They'd arrived early for the movie, before the previews. one of only 4 couples in the small theater.
"So." began Riley, still trying to wrap his thoughts around the idea of Mr. Giles leaving. He felt bad for Buffy. not that he felt bad the man was leaving. Riley supposed he was an okay person, if you didn't mind the snooty, irritating, stand-offish-ness of the man.
Okay, truth be told, Riley hated the man, and couldn't understand what Buffy and her "Scooby Gang" saw in him. His relationship with Buffy bothered him. He wasn't sure exactly what type of relationship Mr. Giles and Buffy had, it was so. undefineable. Sure, Buffy had described it once as similar to what he'd had with Prof. Walsh, but Riley knew better. This wasn't just a mentor/student relationship. He was her Watcher, he knew that, but no one ever told him what a Watcher was, or exactly what the Watcher's Council did.
Buffy and Mr. Giles were friends, he was sure of that, though he could never figure out why. He was so. old. A retired librarian and a college girl. it was just weird. Creepy. It was probably good for both of them that he was leaving. now they could both get to know people their own age. It just wasn't right, how attached his girlfriend was to the creepy old guy. And what the hell did he mean by asking if Riley was sorry he was leaving? As if possessed by a territorial instinct, Riley put his arm around Buffy's shoulders and squeezed.
"So." Buffy began, interrupting his thoughts.
"So. what?" Riley asked.
"So. what were you going to say? You started talking, and then stopped."
"Oh, um. I don't remember. So. Mr. Giles is leaving, huh? That's a shame."
Buffy turned to look at him, a serious expression on her face. There was something in Riley's tone that made her uneasy.
"Yeah, he's leaving. he, um.he said he wants to go home to England." Because he loves me. He's leaving me because he loves me. What the hell kind of logic is that? "He's homesick, I guess."
"Oh, well, can't blame the guy, right?" Riley said.
"What do you mean? He belongs here, with me."
Riley squeezed Buffy's shoulder slightly. "Buffy, he's English. belongs in England with other people his age, not hanging around college kids, don't you think?"
Riley winced when he saw the dark look on Buffy's face.
"What do you mean? Giles is my. our friend."
"But. he's old, Buffy. Someone that old shouldn't." Riley was cut off by Buffy.
" 'That old'? What does age have to do with it?" Buffy said, ignoring the little voice in her head asking her 'since when?'
"Buffy. you know what I mean."
"No, I don't. Giles is. just Giles. He's. my friend. And I want him here. I can't. I can't do this without him." She finished. She couldn't. She just. she couldn't.
Riley didn't quite like her answer. "You didn't need him a whole lot last year, Buffy."
Her face darkened. "I did. I just didn't realize it. He's my watcher. he's. Giles. He belongs here with me."
Riley kept his mouth shut. Maybe if he left Buffy would get as possessive over him as she did over Mr. Giles. Not that he said anything like that out loud. No reason to piss Buffy off any more than he already had, although he didn't understand why. He never understood with her.
Buffy and Riley sat in silence again, until Buffy blurted out "Riley, do you want me to act like I'm not as strong as I am? I mean. you love me for me, right?"
"What? Why are you asking me this?"
Because Giles said you did, she thought. "No reason. Just wondering." Wondering if Giles was right about Riley.
"Buffy. have I done something to make you mad?"
"No, um. no."
"Okay."
"Okay."
"So we're good then?"
"Yup. Good as. ever. ever we were," she said lamely.
"Okay. ready to watch the movie?" he asked, smiling down at her, with a smug smile.
Buffy suddenly found herself wanting to be anywhere but here with Riley.
"Oh, watch the movie, huh?" she said, as if trying to make herself want to be there with Riley.
"Yeah, watch," he mimicked, still smiling down at her.
"Yeah, we're ready." She said as the lights dimmed. Riley began to lean in for a kiss, and Buffy tilted her head up to meet his lips.
The End For Now