Candy Kisses and Gold Foil Hearts
Author: M. Jade
Summary: It's Valentine's Day in Sunnydale
Pairing: W/G
If you have comments or suggestions, email me at jaderozegirl@yahoo.com
Rating: 12 for sensuality
Feedback: Please don't forget to tell me if you like it! (if you didn't, well… I'll understand, just don't email me saying that it stank)
Spoilers: Shortly after “Blood Ties”
Disclaimers: I invoke the name of all-mighty Joss, creator of this world
Distribution: Let's see… My site, Andrea can have it, Charity's welcome to it, Zak eventually, but if you want it just give me a holler (not literally, mind you. Too much vocal strain, but you know what I mean!)
Notes: Um … the ingredients are from an actual love spell. Part of the W/G list Valentine's Day Challenge
Thanks: To my good friend, Sammy, who told me about the spell, and made this little piece possible.
When Rupert Giles heard the door to the Magic Box open, he didn't have to guess who was entering the shop. Without looking up from the notes he had been writing at the counter, he absently said, “Hello Willow,” to greet the hacker/witch.
“Hey, Giles,” the redhead returned brightly. “Happy Valentine's Day.” After finishing his thought, Giles looked up from his notes and smiled brightly at his visitor. Willow Rosenberg walked towards the counter wearing a red long-sleeved blouse and jeans. She had been carrying a small bag displaying the name of the small deli down the street, and her own green bag in another.
“Thank you, Willow, and happy Valentine's Day to you as well.” Giles greeted her.
“Thanks. Anything new on the Hellmouth,” she asked peering at the well-used notebook as he put it away.
“No, just catching up on what Dawn told us about her little chat with Glory,” Giles countered. Looking back to Willow, he added, “Quite a bit of information. Have you spoken to them today?”
“Yeah,” Willow answered casually. “They're having a ‘no men allowed' video fest to celebrate, Summers style,” she finished with a grin. “And yes, Dawn is happily joining in on the fun.” Giles smiled.
“I would have asked,” Giles said with grin and Willow smiled back.
“Yup, but I thought I'd save you the trouble.” She placed the deli bag down on the table, along with the small green bag she had been carrying and Giles could already smell the food. “I remembered the ham,” Willow told him.
“Thank you for picking that up for me, Willow,” Giles said. “So do you think Dawn is still doing well in light of her discovery,” he added. Willow nodded in reply.
“Yeah. She still wants to know more about being the Key, but she's dealing. I can safely report that she's not harming herself or damaging the house in any way.”
“Good,” Giles added as he continued dealing with the things on the counter. “I know it was quite a shock to her to discover her true nature.” As Giles finished putting away the work he had sat out on the counter, Willow walked over to a display of exotic oils and herbs Giles had placed on display for the Valentine's Day. She found a small vile of lavender, and bought it back to the counter. From her green bag, Willow removed a thin gold chain adorned with a small glass heart. In the charm, Giles could see a reddish gold mix of oils.
“Can I use some of this lavender,” Willow asked sweetly as Giles eyed the glass heart.
“For what, Willow,” he asked cautiously. “Or should I ask.”
“It's … oil, for stuff…” she said with a slightly high pitch, not wanting to elaborate.
“What is in that charm, Willow,” Giles prodded and Willow sighed.
“I got some rose geranium, ylang-ylang oil, tuberose, gardenia, jasmine, musk, and almond oil. Nothing major, nothing big,” she insisted. Giles shook his head, knowing he wouldn't get much else.
“Fine,” he relented with a sigh. “Go ahead.” As he placed the final book on the shelf, he grabbed the deli sack off the counter and began to head towards the office. Willow opened the small cap to the charm and added a few drops of the lavender to the mix. She screwed the cap back on and placed the charm around her neck. Grabbing her green bag off the table, she placed the lavender back on the display, then headed back towards the office, following Giles. The Watcher had already begun to take the contents out of the sack, placing them on some paper plates he had taken off the top of the file cabinet. On one plate, he placed a large ham sandwich with the works. On another, he placed a turkey sandwich topped with lettuce and tomatoes. “The deli wasn't busy, was it?”
“No,” Willow said as she dragged a comfortable chair from the corner and placed it next to the desk. Reaching in the bag, she retrieved a small bag of French fries and began to munch on one. “I think most people are going out to the fancier places around here,” she said matter-of-factly. “Or making dinner.”
“I believe Anya mentioned something about Giovanni's herself,” he mentioned off hand, and Willow nodded.
“Apparently Anya has a taste for fancy Italian,” she agreed with a slight smirk. “So Xander promised to take her.” She began to munch on more fries when she suddenly remembered what else she had brought. “Oh!” Reaching in her green bag, she pulled out a small blue envelope with Giles name written in Willow's distinctive script across the front. “For you,” she explained as she handed him the envelope.
“Thank you,” Giles replied, touched. He opened the envelope to reveal a large red card, displaying a heart set in gold foil on the front. Reading from the card, Giles began, “Of all the things I should say to you, the ones I know I should, I forget,” he opened the card and began to read from the inside, “Know that I think of you as a someone special. For you are always my friend.” Giles took a minute to take in the message. “Thank you,” he offered softly.
“Hey, what are friends for,” she replied brightly. He reached in one of his desk drawers and pulled out a small red gift bag. He pushed it towards Willow.
“For you,” He explained. She opened the gift sack to find a large bag of Hershey Kisses.
“Oh! You got me Kisses,” she cooed. She opened the bag and unwrapped one of the red-foiled chocolates. “Umm,” Willow managed as she closed her eyes to savor the taste, causing Giles to smile. “My favorite,” she finished happily, and reached forward to give him a kiss on the cheek. They both blushed with the gesture, and Willow sat back down. “Thank you,” she added quietly, then began to munch on another fry.
“So do you and Tara have any plans for today,” Giles asked, trying to change the subject.
“Yeah. She's cooking for me tonight,” Willow said with a smile, “Although I never asked what's on the menu.”
“I'm sure it will be delicious,” Giles assured her with a grin.
“What about you,” Willow asked softly as Giles took a bite of his sandwich. Giles gulped down his food and sighed.
“I'll be home as usual, Willow, you know that.” Willow caught the sad glint in his green eyes.
“Are you going to be okay,” she offered. Giles nodded.
“It's just… Have you ever wondered what things would be like if … things had gone in a different direction,” he mused with a sad air to his voice.
“Every day,” Willow whispered as she took his hand. “I miss her too,” she told him.
“I know,” Giles answered, clasping Willow's hand in return. “Sometimes it's just … hard is all.”
“But she'd want you to be happy,” Willow insisted. “You know that.”
“Yes, but that's easier said than done, Willow,” Giles mused as he released Willow's hand. “Why don't we worry about lunch right now,” he finished with a smile.
“Yes, sir,” Willow said with a laugh. She grabbed some of her French fries and started to eat them, and Giles felt strangely captivated. Her fingers were edging perilously closer to her mouth, and he found himself staring at her without her noticing. He shook his head and tried to concentrate on his own meal.
Willow tried not to blush, but her free hand was so close to Giles' thigh… she could almost reach out and brush it with her fingertips. She imagined what Xander would have definitely called the ‘naughty touching.' “Giles!” she thought. “So Giles!” She took her free hand sat back in her chair and began to absently stroke her heart-shaped charm. She hadn't told Giles, but the oils in the charm were part of a love spell, one she never expected to work. Not on Giles, anyway, just something fun and harmless as a gift for Tara on Valentine's Day. She now wondered if the spell was working as she had thought.
Giles watched as she fingered the charm, his eyes seeming to be glued to her bustline. “Good God,” Giles told himself, trying to snap out of it. “If she catches you!” He tried to pay more attention to his meal. “Food,” he reminded himself. “Not Willow.” He still found himself glancing at her lips and bust, fighting a losing battle with his own inner torment. He had always found Willow attractive, but this… was not what he had in mind.
“Pass the mayonnaise,” Willow asked gently. Giles took a packet out of the paper sack, and offered it to Willow. She gladly took the package from him, their fingertips brushing each other in the exchange. Willow ducked her head, feeling her face growing hot as the blush spread out to her neck and arms.
“Are you okay,” Giles questioned, looking at her with concern.
“Sure,” Willow replied cheerily, dispelling Giles' apprehension. She began to take another bite of her sandwich when a glob of the mayonnaise wound up on her lower lip. Giles didn't really stop to think about it, but silently reached out and swept his thumb over Willow's lip. Willow closed her eyes as she took in the exquisite feeling of the intimate contact. He soon realized what he had done, and drew his hand back. Giles cleared his throat, but neither spoke. They continued on in silence, trying not to steal glances at each other when they thought the other wasn't looking. After Giles had finally finished the last of his sandwich, he sat back in his chair. “Would you like a Kiss,” Willow offered sweetly.
“What,” Giles stammered, momentarily confused by her request.
“A Kiss,” Willow repeated, holding out one of the small chocolates. Giles gave a small laugh as he finally got her meaning. She took the unwrapped candy and slowly placed it in Giles' waiting mouth. He closed his mouth for a moment to taste the candy, but he kept his eyes on Willow. Giles took Willow's outstretched hand, and began to massage the palm. He took his free hand and began to trace the features of her face. First her cheek, then her nose, and finally, he brushed his fingers lightly across her mouth, and she closed her eyes against the onslaught of the feeling. Willow let out a small moan as Giles began to retrace his motions, and he smiled at her reaction.
Placing one hand gently on her thigh, Giles slowly leaned forward and pressed his mouth to Willow's. She was slightly surprised, but soon relented to him, opening her mouth slightly to allow his access. They both felt the fire of what they had done. They could feel their skin humming with the closeness of the other, and the response they felt. Giles took the back of her head with one hand, not wanting to let the witch go. Willow obliged him by leaning closer to him, ever so closer until their bodies were pressed together. Their hands began to roan, begging for access to areas they had never dared to go before. After they could stand it no longer, they parted.
“Wow,” Willow whispered.
“I concur,” Giles replied. He placed his hand along the side of her face. “Are you okay?”
“Sure. I just never expected … it was only supposed to work on those who already wanted me,” she said absently as she palmed the charm around her neck. “The spell can only work that way, or so I thought.”
“Who said I wasn't included?” Giles asked ruefully. Willow smiled.
“You knew exactly what was in this charm, didn't you?”
“Perhaps.” He took another chocolate from the bag and popped it in his mouth. “But I can't divulge all my secrets, can I?”
“Why didn't you tell me before,” Willow whispered. “The spell works both ways you know,” she added. “The want aspect, I mean,” she clarified.
“I … didn't know how to tell you,” he explained with a tinge of sadness in his eyes. “I'm sorry. I never expected you to feel the same way.” Willow smiled at him.
“So now what,” she asked as cheerily as possible, trying to lighten the mood.
“I wish I could answer that, Willow.” She gave a small sigh, but then leaned forward and caught his lips in another kiss.
“Happy Valentine's Day, Giles,” she whispered.
Sequel: Fumbling Towards Ecstasy