"I found them." Buffy charged through the library doors, ignoring the growls and shaking from Oz in the book cage. Willow and Xander were on their feet at once, both with worried and yet determined faces. "Willow, I need you to put Oz out, just for a few minutes. I need weapons."
"What's the sitch?" Xander asked as Willow put on a determined face and went to get the tranquilizer gun.
"They're holed up in a warehouse. There's too many to fight right now. We can't risk Dru and Spike slipping away."
"Right. So, we . . . what?"
"We sneak in. First priority is going to be getting to Drusilla and finding out what she's doing to Giles. We'll go back for them later if they haven't gotten out of town. Besides, Giles deserves a piece of them after we get him fixed."
"We're not neutering him," Xander grumbled, both of them turning to watch Willow as she neared the book cage. Willow loaded the gun, apologizing to Oz even as he threw himself against the cage door.
Buffy sighed, looking back to Xander. "Okay, after we get his head on right, better?"
"Yeah. Do whatever you like with his head, just don't touch his . . . I'm not even going to finish that. Wrong on so many levels."
Buffy just stared at her friend, blinking and then looking back when she heard Oz yelp.
-----
"You're right . . . I can't leave." Giles took a step closer to the man, his mind screaming that he shouldn't be do this, shouldn't be thinking of doing this. Still, it was something he had control over, something he was choosing to do, whether he should be or not. It sent a thrill through him and eased the ache of fear.
Wesley seemed to sense the change between them. The man straightened, looking at him with cautious but unafraid eyes. "Giles?"
"Yes, Wesley?" Giles' eyes had fixed on that edge of bruised skin. Even as he stepped close enough to be invading the other man's space, he couldn't seem to take his eyes off of it. He hated it, wanted to soothe it away. It had to hurt. Wesley's voice was still rough and hoarse, though it deepened a bit on the man's next words, took on a husky, wistful tone.
"What are you doing?"
"Hopefully, something to keep us both from going mad," Giles answered, a slight smile flitting over his lips. He leaned in, saw Wesley's lips part, heard a small gasp. He was close enough to see, almost to feel, the small tremor that went over the younger man's body.
Wesley didn't draw away from him, didn't back up an inch. Giles could feel the man's breath against his cheek, feel it coming in faster and faster gasps. He met Wesley's eyes for a moment, long enough to see the want and worry there, before he leaned in so slowly he felt as if the tension of it all might just snap them both.
Wesley's Adam's apple bobbed as the man swallowed. Echoing the action, his mouth gone suddenly dry, Giles licked his lips and then brushing them along Wesley's jaw. He slid them over the man's skin to taste aftershave and, under that, Wesley.
There was a small sound from Wesley, something that had no name and still managed to speak volumes. The man was trembling under his lips, the only point at which their bodies touched. The sound made Giles' cock twitch and he could feel it hardening in his suddenly too-tight trousers.
His lips brushed lightly over the bruise and Wesley was tilting his head, the man's hot breath gusting against Giles' neck and shoulder. "Giles?"
There was a trace of fear in Wesley's voice now. Immediately, Giles ceased kissing the bruise, but couldn't seem to pull away from the soft, warm skin. "Wesley," he said, his voice muffled. Another shudder went through Wesley's body. The man stood so still that Giles had to wonder whether Wesley was afraid of drawing the notice of a perceived predator, or of breaking the moment.
"How do I know that . . . that this is you?" Wesley's voice was small, the longing in it squeezing something inside Giles, calling out to him and raising the same submerged wanting. "How do I know that you won't come back to your senses and, uh, and regret you ever t-touched me?"
"I'm here, Wes," Giles answered, kissing between the words. "I've chosen every move, every kiss. That's the best I can do to prove it. Should I stop?"
There was another small sound, the hitch of a held breath, another tremble along Wesley's body and Giles felt it against his lips.
"I . . . no . . ."
Giles breathed in deep, the warm smell of Wesley's skin filling his nose. He nipped gently, cock throbbing at the husky, breathless quality in Wesley's voice. Working slowly up to Wesley's ear, he licked down along the rim, scraping his teeth over the earlobe.
"You're sure?" Giles went back to light, open-mouthed kisses, laying them along the man's jaw and at the corner of Wesley's lips. "Just say the word and I'll stop."
Wesley let out a ragged breath; there was a moment when Giles was all but certain he would pull away, would end this . . . whatever it was. Then Wesley's body swayed forward, pressing against him, firm and lithe, drawing a soft groan from Giles.
"I want this," Wesley whispered against his lips, voice achingly soft. "God, I . . . I do, but not now. I know this is probably my only chance to-to have this, have you, but I-I can't. Not when . . ." there was a break in Wesley's voice and Giles found his hands rising, brushing soothingly up and down the man's arms. "Not when I can't be certain you . . . you want it, too. That you won't hate me for it. Or yourself."
Giles swallowed hard, taken aback by the yearning undertones of Wesley's voice. He leaned in, licking along the man's lips, that thrill rushing through him again as he pressed inside. The kiss was quick, wild, filled with things Giles hadn't even realized he wanted. When he pulled away, he pulled away completely, leaving only his hands in contact with the other man's body.
"What was that?" Wesley asked, his eyes a bit dazed, but a small, confused smile on his face.
"A promise," Giles said with a shrug, before letting go of Wesley and turning back toward the books with a sigh. Researching with a hard on, and the object of said hard on not five feet away, was one of those things in life that didn't get easier with age. "I suppose we should hit the books, then." Giles didn't even try to hide his disappointment. He wanted Wesley to know that this wasn't so easy for him as turning off a light switch. "The sooner we figure this out, the better."
"Uh, yes. Yes."