Title: Masked desire – part 3 (All I ask of you, POTO)

Author: Rippertish

Pairing: Buffy/Giles

A/N: Extra sorry for the delay guys. My lovely beta-girl mischiefmagnet has been ultra busy these days and I also apologise to her for not waiting any longer for her always great beta. I hope everything gets better soon, girl! :)

Giles hadn't had a good night's sleep. Besides arriving late at the hotel and a little too tipsy, he'd had nightmares involving his ex-slayer. He had rationally decided to erase Buffy from his mind during the whole of Carnival, but apparently his subconscious was refusing to do so.

Resisting the temptation of sleeping in, he decided to leave the hotel room early in order to avoid Ethan's hangover whining. After a strong cup of coffee, Giles felt freshened up and ready for another day of Carnival.

He couldn't stop his mind from wandering again to the beautiful and captivating, Italian woman from the night before. He had fallen asleep thinking about her, about a way to find her. But this task would be as impossible as finding a needle in a haystack. He sighed resigned while he adjusted the knot of his Phantom of the Opera cape and started to walk down the narrow decorated alley.

Giles spent long hours in a quaint second hand book shop. He sipped from his tea while his eyes travelled through the pages of a classic Italian romance. He smiled while the oh-so sweet, yet dramatically intense Italian words carried him away.

His attention was stolen by a group of people laughing and talking as they passed by the book shop. The city was quickly getting busy as many tourists arrived in the city by train.

During Carnival, the city was filled with free of charge attractions like theatre plays, music performances for all tastes and poetry readings. They took place all over Venice. Most people wore their costumes and not just the nights, but also, the days of Carnival brought life and great profit to the small city.

That's what Giles was there for. Not for the profit, obviously, but for the life. He had been so engrossed on his book that he lost track of time. The attractions were on and he didn't want to miss them.

-/-/-

Fool and king, ghoul and ghost ...
Green and black, queen and priest ...
Trace of rouge, face of beast ...
Faces ... take your turn, take a ride
on the merry-go-round ... in an inhuman race ...

[Masquerade – Phantom of the Opera]

-/-/-

Later that day, Buffy and her friends watched the play at San Marco Square, the largest open patio of Venice which held the main attractions during Carnival.

The play was beautifully acted, the plot was very catchy and the audience was completely entranced. But still, Buffy felt some uneasiness inside her.

Buffy averted her gaze from the stage and it was then that she saw him. Giles was standing on the opposite side of the square and at that moment their masked eyes met as if by magic.

They stood very still watching each other.

A group of people crossed their way and when the path was clear again, Giles was gone.

Buffy looked around her, confused searching for him.

After the play finished, Buffy and her friends left the square walking together through the alley.

Giles hid behind one corner and when they passed through him, he pulled her to him.

"It's me, Rupert. Please, give me another chance. I would not know how to explain what happened to me last night. I'm rarely impulsive like that. Forgive me, I beg you."

Buffy was surprised by Giles' unexpected approach.

Enrico and Nina came to her rescue.

"That's ok, guys. I'll catch up with you later. I'm alright. Grazie." Buffy dismissed her friend's worried look in Italian.

They held a puzzled look but did as she requested. Enrico had recognized Giles from the previous night and knew that Buffy had her own reasons for asking this of them. They walked away from her, going back to the hotel to prepare for tonight's Masquerade ball.

"You are very brave," she said, turning her attention to Giles. "What made you think I would even listen to you again?"

Buffy used the attack question to hide her confused feelings. All the emotions inside her were in conflict.

"I saw you looking for me after I left the square a few minutes ago. It was the same way I searched for you the whole rest of the ball last night. And today, every corner I turned I hoped that you would be there. I feverously prayed for a second chance with you, prayed to God to give me the gift of finding you between so many other masks. Christ, there is something about you... I can assure you I'm never this persistent, let alone so open about my own feelings. However somehow I feel inside me that I can't let you escape from me like this."

Buffy knew that if she had heard this speech from anyone but him she would have doubted it. But she knew him and all the words that came from him sounded so genuine and desperate.

"Allow me to take you for a cup of tea, that's all I ask from you." he said, already opening a small but captivating smile.

"Ok. One espresso," she said.

His smile grew brighter and he repeated, "one espresso it is."

He offered his arm to her and she took it. They walked side by side along the now darkening alleys.