Title: Sleight of Hand 14/14
Author: Magpie and Wolfling
Email: magpie@moracle.co.uk and wolfling@sympatico.ca
Show: Buffy
Rating: NC-17
Category: angst, hurt/comfort
Warnings: spoilers up to the end of Chosen
Pairings: Giles/Ethan
Series: Of Old Mystics, sequel to Smoke and Mirrors
Summary: It's behind the scenes where things get complicated.

Author Notes: Many thanks to Mad Poetess and Wesleysgirl for betaing :) This is the third story in the Of Old Mystics series; previous stories in the series can be found http://www.myarseisnotpansy.co.uk/piedm/mystics.html.

Ethan stared discontentedly into the spare room. "Rupert and I are going to have to do another thorough cleansing in here before we can allow you to call this home." "It's fine, really," Megan told him from her position in the doorway, a bag slung over her shoulder and a box in her hands. "I've slept here before, remember."

"I know, and had I been in my right mind when you did, I would never have allowed it." He turned and looked at her properly, seeing the uncertainty on her face. "I'm not chucking you out, sweet thing," he said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "I just want Rupert and me to do another cleansing before you sleep in here tonight. I don't sense anything... unpleasant remaining, but it's better to be safe. I... I did regrettable things in here." He winced inside at his own words.

"So it's a room with a history." A teasing smile touched her lips. "That doesn't exactly discourage me."

He gave her a sour look in return. "Not the fun kind of history. I did... Chaos in here." And worse... he'd got as close as he'd ever been to rape in here. He knew Rupert didn't see it that way, but...

He shivered.

Megan gave a half-shrug. "A wicked history is still a history. Can I put my stuff in here at least?"

Turning his shiver into a deliberate shake of his head, Ethan cleared his mind. "Yes, move in," he told Megan. "It's your room now. Put things where you like. Rupert will probably tell me I'm mad wanting another cleansing anyway." Ethan moved over to the window. "Will you let me take you to some big out of town place and buy you your choice of bedding and curtains? These Council drabs are far too dull for you."

"You don't have to do that--" Megan began as she put her things down on the bed.

"No, " Ethan agreed, "but I want to. So the question remains, are you going to let me? Being as it's dangerously close to shopping..." He smirked at her.

"I think I can be convinced." Then she gave him a beaming smile and crossed the room to hug him. "Thank you."

He hugged her back. "It will be lovely having you here, even if Rupert and I will have to change our habits a tadge."

Megan pulled back from the hug. "Don't put yourself out on my account." Her smile turned impish. "You can continue with your regular activities. I won't mind."

Ethan raised an eyebrow and said archly, "So when you bring your first girlfriend home, you won't mind us watching you both then?" Megan blushed bright red and blanched at the same time, which made for an overall blotchy effect, and Ethan chuckled. "Point made?"

She nodded, then frowned. "I'm not going to be in the way or anything, am I?"

Ethan put his hands on her shoulders and waiting for her to meet his eyes before he spoke. "Megan, didn't I just say it would be lovely to have you here?"

"Yeah, but you also said you have to change things to make me fit."

Ethan gave her a fond but exasperated look. "Change isn't necessary bad, sweetheart. Come now. We want you here, and not, in case you were thinking so, as a glorified guard dog. With Kat leaving us, we want the rest of our little family close by." He crimped his lips. "Of course, if you'd rather not stay here with two old men, I'd quite understand--"

"No!" Megan said. "I mean, I *want* to be here. Really. With Kat leaving, it wouldn't be the same at the dorm. And... and I want to be here, just to be here. To be... part of... something."

"Oh, dear child, you *are* part of something. Part of *this* something." He wrapped his arms tightly around her. "I'm delighted that you're moving in. How can I convince you of this?"

Megan's arms crept around him in return. "This is a pretty good way."

There was yipping and the thump, thump of running feet from the hallway.

"I'd say buy me a puppy," Megan added with a grin, "but it sounds like the one that's already here is enough of a handful."

The young wolfhound barrelled into the spare... into *Megan's* bedroom dragging something in his mouth that looked horribly like Rupert's leather satchel. Papers were falling out all over the place. Judging by the human feet that Ethan could now hear pounding up the stairs, Rupert wasn't best pleased by this development.

Separating from Megan, Ethan turned to look into the landing, folding his arms determinedly.

Rupert appeared outside the doorway a few seconds later without his cane, moving at a quite impressive speed for someone limping as badly as he was. "Gwydion, that is not a chew toy!"

Ethan glared at his husband. "Sit down at once, and I'm not talking to the dog."

Rupert ignored the order, moving further into the room to get at the puppy, who was now dodging behind Megan. "He's scattering my files all over the place!"

"Then tell him not to. You know he does anything you say; he just thinks you're playing with him. And sit down before I make you." Rupert's leg would never get back to normal at this rate.

Still focused entirely on the puppy and ignoring the admonition to sit down, Rupert ordered, "Gwydion, let go!"

"See how seriously he takes me?" Ethan said to Megan petulantly. The dog had let go as instructed, but was now rolling over in the spilled papers. "That mutt takes more notice of him than he takes of me."

"Gwydion, ju-- just stop moving," Rupert was telling the puppy exasperatedly. "Sit, and stay still!"

The dog sat down on its haunches. Megan moved around the room and hallway, picking up the papers. Ethan stared at everyone trying to decide whether his need to sulk at Rupert was greater or lesser than his pleasure at having his 'family' all around him like this. In the end, he just sat down on the bed and drew his feet up under him, feeling... unsettled.

Rupert limped over and sat down heavily beside him with a faint groan.

"Don't look to me for sympathy," Ethan told him bluntly.

"Of course not, you're the one who brought the little thief here in the first place." There was no rancour in Rupert's voice; in fact there was a great deal of exasperated affection and a bit of humour as well.

Ethan didn't answer immediately, as while he was genuinely upset by Rupert ignoring his instructions, he was, underneath that, in far too good a mood to want to spoil things with a fight. In the end, he just said, "I want to give this space one last cleansing."

Rupert didn't argue or double-check; he just nodded. "All right," he said, reaching for Ethan's hand. "We could do it after we get the mess Gwydion's made of my files sorted out. Megan can take the little monster for a walk and hopefully wear out some of his energy while we do it."

Ethan nodded, grateful for the easy acceptance. He squeezed Rupert's hand and leant his head on his husband's shoulder. "Are we still going into the office this afternoon?"

"I was planning on it, yes. Pamela's set up an appointment with our dear Francesca."

Megan came in, pausing hesitantly in the doorway until Ethan held his hand out to her. She passed the collected papers to Rupert and sat down on the other side of Ethan. "I can get the place ready for Kat's going away meal while you're gone," she offered, obviously having heard the last couple of comments.

Gwydion jumped up onto the bed and did his best to clamber onto Rupert's lap. "Shoo," Ethan told him. "That's my seat."

"He needs a walk," Megan said.

"Yes," Rupert agreed, struggling to get the puppy under some kind of control as it squirmed and bounced happily half on the bed and half on his lap. "A long walk. Perhaps even a run. Up many a steep hill."

Ethan turned to Megan and smiled sweetly. "Erm..."

She rolled her eyes. "I'll just get the leash, shall I?"

He grinned and patted her leg. "We'll do the cleansing while you're out."

"Go with Megan," Rupert told the puppy firmly, setting him back on the floor.

Gwydion hesitated, as if he was going to disobey, but then scampered over and sat attentively by Megan's feet. "He really does understand everything you say, doesn't he?" Megan said, shaking her head in amazement. She stood and walked to the door, before looking back at the two men. "So, a long walk? How much time will the cleansing take?"

Rupert gave Ethan a speculative look. "A long walk would be a good thing, I think," he said. "We want this cleansing to be... thorough."

Ethan opened his mouth to argue; it was a simple ritual and didn't take long. But something about the way Rupert was looking at him made him instead stand up and remove his wallet from his back pocket. He handed Megan some notes and told her, "Don't stay out any longer than you want to; this is your home now, and you're allowed to be here whenever you want. That said, if you do come home early, stay downstairs until we emerge. Some things it's better not to interrupt." He smiled in a way he hoped was encouraging and not laced with innuendo.

"I'll even pretend I don't hear anything that might drift down the stairs," Megan assured him, with a grin, then turned and headed for the door, Gwydion trotting along at her heels obediently. Ethan frowned after her. Why did everyone always assume that each time he and Rupert were alone together they were having sex? Agreed, they usually were, but still.

He waited until he heard the front door close before he said anything, turning then to nuzzle at Rupert. "Are you thinking about spending some time in our own bedroom?"

Rupert laid his papers aside and turned to slip his arms around Ethan's form. "There are cleansings and there are cleansings."

"In here?" Ethan frowned deeply, unpleasant memories of the night he'd done the Chaos ritual and what had happened afterwards chasing through his mind. "Rupert, I'm not sure..."

"Memories need to be cleansed too sometimes." Rupert brushed a hand against Ethan's cheek. "That's probably why you still don't feel comfortable in here; you still don't feel like this place is clean."

Ethan stared at him, feeling uneasy and on the verge of upset. "What I did... Rupert, if we have sex in here I'm going to want you to hurt me, and that's hardly the kind of energies we want to leave in this room."

Rupert shook his head. "That's not cleansing the memory; that's adding another bad memory to it."

"It's what I des--" Ethan stopped himself saying anymore. He twisted on the bed to get closer to Rupert, to hug him properly.

Rupert's arms came around him in turn, pulling him closer. "Seduce me with your magic," he murmured, mouth right up against Ethan's ear. "Like you did that night. Only cleanly, purely. With my full knowledge and consent."

Ethan felt himself tense; he couldn't help it. And the worst thing was, his body wasn't the only thing stiffening. He'd always loved to seduce his Ripper, to turn him on so much that he was prepared to do pretty much anything, anywhere. Ethan got a huge and undeniable thrill from doing that, but what Rupert was asking... He moaned and buried his face against Rupert's shoulder.

"My magic called to you," Rupert murmured, still talking right into Ethan's ear. "Make your magic call to me; make me give myself to you."

This time the moan was more a groan, as Ethan felt his cock press hard against his trousers. Rupert's words spoke straight to the core of him. Almost despite himself, Ethan could feel his magic gathering at his fingertips, ready to paint across his husband's body. "Promise me this is the right thing to do," he asked -- demanded really.

Rupert pulled back far enough to meet his eyes. "I wouldn't ask it of you if it wasn't."

Which was true enough. After a brief pause to gather his strength, Ethan separated himself from his husband. "You should start outside the door then."

"You're not going to scold me about my leg?" Rupert teased.

Ethan pursed his lips. "No, but I might spank you. Do as you're told, for once."

Chuckling, Rupert got to his feet and limped out into the hallway.

Ethan took a few moments just to watch his husband, look at him with all his senses. "You've always been so beautiful, Rupert," he said as he stood up. "So perfect and pure. Like sunlight. I've always thought that." He stalked a few steps towards the door, chuckling as a whimsical thought hit him. "Do you think that's why we love the dawns and dusks so much? Perhaps I'm the night to your day, so sunrises and sunsets are... are like sex." He smirked through the open doorway.

"So you're the night?" Rupert asked, visibly amused. "Dark, mysterious, with a hint of danger always present?"

"You really don't take me seriously enough these days," Ethan complained, still smirking up at Rupert from under his brow. With a quick mental twist of certain patterns within Rupert, Ethan set about remedying that.

Rupert inhaled sharply, reaching out a hand against the wall to help balance himself.

Grinning, Ethan prowled the few steps further needed to take him into the doorway. He didn't touch Rupert, just looked at him while licking his own lower lip.

He was letting his awareness of Rupert grow large, meaning he barely saw the room and possibly wouldn't have heard a telephone ringing nearby. All Ethan was paying attention to was his husband -- Rupert's expression, his body, his magic, the intricate patterns of him across time and space... especially those of his arousal. Ethan played his magic through those patterns again, teasing and tugging as he would at Rupert's nipples.

He could hear Rupert's breathing speeding up. "Ethan..."

"Yes?" Ethan replied, as if he had no idea what Rupert could possibly want.

"You keep that up and I'm going to lose my balance." Rupert's hand went flat against the wall, more of his weight being put there.

"Poor dear," Ethan said, his tone oozing false sympathy and humour. "Perhaps you better lie down." He lifted his hand, letting his magic-soaked fingertips run over Rupert's lips.

Rupert's eyes fluttered shut and his tongue darted out to lick at Ethan's fingers. "Lying down would be... prudent," he agreed.

Ethan didn't oblige him immediately; instead he surged closer, pressing Rupert into the wall and moving hard against him. "Kiss me," he instructed, his gaze daring Rupert to disobey.

Rupert's lips curved upward, and he leaned in to press them to Ethan's.

Ethan was aware he was getting somewhat carried away with the power he was wielding over Rupert, but he wasn't ready to stop. He slipped a hand around to cup his husband's neck and kissed him strongly, letting his lips push his magic into Rupert, inviting its equal and opposite to come out to play.

A low rumble of a moan sounded in Rupert's chest as his magic leapt to meet Ethan's, and he slid his arms around Ethan's waist.

Rupert's magic tasted so sweet. Ethan groaned in turn and ground their erections together. He ran his free hand down the available length of Rupert's body, letting his magic trail along behind his fingers. And again, he twisted.

He felt the surge go through Rupert's body and swallowed the involuntary cry Rupert made.

"Ready to give yourself to me?" Ethan asked huskily after breaking the kiss, not really thinking about what he was asking, just repeating Rupert's earlier words back to him. Rupert replied by pulling Ethan roughly to him and devouring his mouth, which, Ethan thought, meant no.

He carefully separated himself from his wilful husband, backing up until he hit the banisters. With a smug half-smile, he curled his power around Rupert, twisting at patterns, tugging at them, making Rupert's skin alive to the smallest sensation, making his cock cry out for attention, making his balls ache. "Ready to give yourself to me?" he asked again.

"Ethan," Rupert gasped, his body shaking in reaction, stumbling back against the wall in an obvious effort to stay upright.

"Answer me."

"Yes." The word seemed ripped from somewhere deep inside him.

Ethan immediately released Rupert from his power, moving forward, looping an arm around his waist. "Good. Well done." He encouraged Rupert to walk, taking much of his weight. Ethan didn't allow himself to worry about Rupert's leg, about what they were reliving here -- none of it. Because if he was to do this well, he couldn't afford to think of anything beyond the moment, beyond the power he was wielding over his husband and the thrill that provided... for both of them.

Rupert leaned heavily on him as they moved into the room, whether from his leg or from what Ethan had been doing to him, Ethan couldn't tell. When they got to the bed, Ethan simply pushed at Rupert's chest so that he toppled onto the mattress and then followed him down. They wiggled further on, Ethan on his hands and knees astride Rupert, gazing down at him.

Closing his eyes briefly, Ethan unravelled the seams of all their garments so that they simply fell from them in large pieces of material. He grinned wolfishly down at Rupert. "All mine, you are."

"Yours," Rupert agreed, reaching a hand up to caress Ethan's cheek.

He stared down at his husband for another few seconds and then descended, swooping down like a raptor from the sky and claiming Rupert's mouth in a fierce, burning kiss, rich with magic.

Rupert surged up to meet him, his magic flowing to joyfully meet and mix with Ethan's. And Ethan lowered himself onto Rupert, moving one leg between his husband's, and squirmed over him, setting both their skins alight with sensation as their magics merged.

Moaning, Rupert writhed against him, tilting his head back in a mute offering of himself.

"Rupert..." Licking at his husband's neck, Ethan found he didn't know what came next. Or rather he did, as it was rather obvious, but he didn't think he could provide. Not after the last time in this room -- the only time he'd ever penetrated his husband. Oh bugger. He couldn't afford to hesitate like this. He moaned, "*Rupert.*"

"Love you," Rupert said, then gently forced Ethan's head up enough to meet his gaze. "Yours," he repeated softly.

Rupert wanted this. This wasn't just the cleansing of memories; Ethan had known for a while that Rupert wanted, at least once, to have Ethan inside him again. He could do it, couldn't he? Could it really be that difficult? Moaning, he moved his other leg between Rupert's thighs and tormented both of them by grinding their erections together as he tried to build up courage.

Rupert was giving himself up to Ethan's touch, moving with him, into his caresses. His hands slid down over Ethan's back as they moved, giving comfort and reassurance even as he gave himself over.

Ethan moaned again. "I... can't."

His lover's hands didn't still in their soft movements over Ethan's body. "Why?" Rupert asked gently, calmly.

"I don't know," Ethan admitted. Somehow he was positioned lower down Rupert's body now; he wasn't sure how that had happened. His cock was pushing towards areas it shouldn't be. He tried to stop himself moving, but wasn't completely successful. "Oh God. Rupert. I..." His memories of being inside Rupert that one time before were filling him. For all his horror after the event, at the time it had felt... divine and deliciously profane at the same time.

"It's all right," Rupert told him, still running his fingers lightly over Ethan's skin. "I'm yours and you're mine. Nothing's going to change that."

Ethan closed his eyes, allowing himself to get lost for a few moments in the sensations of his body. "Ask me for it?" he said, and he could hear his tone was pleading. "Let me hear how much you want this?" As he spoke, he moved his hand between them, letting it cup Rupert's cock. Twisting the patterns again so that Rupert would feel every touch almost unbearably acutely, Ethan then squeezed.

"God!" Rupert arched off the mattress, his body shuddering in reaction. "God, Ethan, you're driving me insane..."

He laughed a little breathlessly. "Well, that's good, isn't it? Ask me?" He ran his tongue, trailing magic, up to and over one of Rupert's nipples. "Please?"

"Please," Rupert echoed, shaking under Ethan's attention. "Please... Ethan..."

"God." Hearing Rupert beg was like fire in Ethan's balls. He moaned and thrust himself forward, his cock pushing between Rupert's buttocks like it knew just where to go without any guidance. Ethan shuddered. He moved his hands down to between Rupert's legs, parting them more widely, and pressed magic-charged fingers on the tight ring of muscle there. "You want me inside you," he stated.

Rupert gasped. "Please."

Ethan pressed his fingers within, using his magic as lubrication the way Rupert had so often done with him. Rupert was very hot inside and so very tight. Ethan squirmed his fingers about and moaned because his fingers were not what he needed to be surrounded by this encasing warmth. "Is this what you want?" he asked shakily.

"Ethan, would you just bloody get on with it?" Rupert growled, his body moving into Ethan's touch.

That was Ripper's voice, but the old Ripper would never have asked for this... would he? One thing was certain, Ripper would never have put up with such insubordination from the bloke underneath him. Finding the swelling that marked Rupert's prostate, Ethan smirked up at his husband as he filled the area with his magic. "You really are rather naff at being the bottom, aren't you, dear?" he asked.

Rupert's only answer was a ragged shout, as he bucked in reaction to what Ethan was doing.

Ethan heard a noise come from his own mouth that was somewhere between a giggle and a groan. Rupert's reactions were quite wonderful and going straight to Ethan's head... or rather to other far more needy parts of him.

He withdrew his fingers and shut his fears tightly away, lining up his cock with the waiting hole and trembling with the need to just plunge it inside. Letting his magic coat his length, he wondered vaguely if he dared beg Rupert to ask for this once again. He wasn't just playing dominance games; he needed to know it was all right. He lifted his eyes to search out Rupert's, but couldn't find the words...

Meeting Ethan's gaze, Rupert once again lifted a hand to caress his cheek. "Yes," he said clearly.

"Oh," Ethan groaned, and shuddering, he pushed himself inside, as far as he could go.

It was unbelievably hot and tight, not like any hand he'd ever had around him, and Rupert's magic was everywhere, mixing with his own. But it wasn't just the simple physical sensations that were immediately threatening to overwhelm Ethan, it was the fact that he was inside his husband. He was fucking his husband. He was lying on top of Rupert with his cock buried inside Rupert's arse and... oh bloody hell.

Ethan groaned again and tried to stay absolutely still.

Rupert seemed to be caught up in the same overwhelming feelings; white knuckling the sheets and trying to stay just as still as Ethan, although tremors went through his muscles with the effort.

It was clear this wasn't going to last long, which probably made the idea that suddenly came to Ethan rather stupid, but nonetheless he liked it. Remaining still, and trying to make himself breathe more calmly, he shut his eyes and extended his pattern awareness not in space but in detail. He found and highlighted the shape of Rupert's sexual arousal and matched it node for node with his own, connecting them both in a way he'd never considered before. Everything that he felt, Rupert should now feel too, and vice versa.

Unsure if it would work, Ethan knew there was only one way to find out. He pistoned his hips out and back in just once.

The cry that came from Rupert was echoed by the one that fell from his own lips. Oh yes, it was definitely working.

Keeping his eyes tight shut, Ethan continued to move because now he couldn't stop. Everything he did to Rupert, he was also doing to himself and the sensations were staggering. "Ripper," he moaned. "My Ripper. Oh God..."

"Don't stop," Ripper growled, moving with him, his hands coming up to grip Ethan's shoulders. "Whatever you do..."

"Couldn't..." Ethan staggered out between panting and whimpers, "even if I... was insane enough to... Oh God!... want to."

He was thrusting hard and fast and with little in the way of rhythm, all his natural grace gone to pot as he was taken over by the raw urgent demand of his body to reach orgasm. And just the thought that he was going to come inside Rupert made his balls tighten further and dragged a ragged wail from his throat.

Rupert moaned in return, his hands tightening to bruising force on Ethan's shoulders. "I'm going to--"

"Come," Ethan completed in a gasp, as he felt his body tense and the shock-burn of orgasm surge through his loins. He felt Rupert's muscles contract around his cock and simultaneously contracted his own muscles around the ghost shaft in his own arse, and that was about the point that his brain stopped functioning altogether.

He was simply a pulsing, twitching body with no thoughts, just sensations, ever amplifying as they ricocheted between the two of them. Everything that Rupert felt, was felt then by Ethan and reflected back to Rupert, like two mirrors endlessly reflecting.

It could have gone on forever, except of course, human bodies were not built for such things and eventually Ethan succumbed to the effects of barely breathing and over-stimulation and fell into a warm velvety blackness that held and soothed him.

When reality eventually came back, Ethan found himself still held; Rupert's arms wrapped tightly around him.

He stirred cautiously, but his temporary pattern connections had apparently separated while his consciousness had been elsewhere, and so moving did not cause another rising crescendo of incredible sensation. On the other hand... "Ow."

"Welcome back." Rupert's voice was rough and hoarse as if from overuse.

"Bugger," Ethan moaned against Rupert's shoulder. His muscles hurt like hell. "Are you... all right?"

"I think the top of my head may have blown off, but other than that, I'm bloody marvellous."

Ethan raised his head to look at his husband and couldn't help but smile. "I always have to raise the ante," he said ruefully, but his smile became a grin. "That *was* pretty damn marvellous, wasn't it?"

Rupert gave him a rueful but affectionate smile in return. "There are cleansings and then there are cleansings."

Ethan nodded, moving up to kiss Rupert, but when he drew back again, he said, "Yes, and I think this one is going to involve buying Megan a new mattress."

His husband threw his head back and laughed.

***

"Perhaps I should start working out with the Slayers," Ethan said thoughtfully.

Giles looked up from the files he was reviewing in preparation for his upcoming appointment, just to make sure that everything was in order. "Having a sudden yearning for bruises?"

"Already have them, dearheart," Ethan replied dryly from his window-ledge perch, a favourite spot of his when in Giles' office. He rubbed at his shoulders in way of obvious illustration of his point.

The memories of their 'cleansing' earlier were still very much fresh in Giles' mind, and he shot his lover a wolfish smile. "Yes, I'm rather thankful this chair is well-cushioned at the moment myself."

He saw a moment's insecurity flicker across his lover's face, but then Ethan smiled, almost shyly. It was a strangely open expression for him; one Giles had rarely seen before. Ethan turned and looked out the window. "I feel all shiny and new." He chuckled self-mockingly.

"Thanks," Giles said softly, realising he hadn't said it yet.

Ethan turned back to him, frowning slightly. "What for?"

"For... blowing the top of my head off." Giles smiled at Ethan, and he could swear he could still feel his nerves vibrate with leftover pleasure.

"Isn't that one of my duties?" Ethan's eyes twinkled.

"I can write it into your employment contract if you like."

Ethan sniggered. "That sounds like something that should come with a 'raise'. Will I get a new job title?"

Giles lifted an eyebrow. "Did you have something in mind?"

Ethan put a finger to his mouth and raised his eyes in a pose of thought. "Hmm. Chief Homosexual to the Council Head, maybe?" He laughed. "Megan is going to have to be very patient with us, you know."

"Considering what I've had to put up with from Slayers and their friends in the past, I'm looking at it as turnabout is fairplay." Giles leaned back in his chair and blatantly let his eyes rove over his lover's form just because he could.

Ethan slipped from the window and prowled over. After bending to kiss Giles, he perched on the small area of desk edge not covered by papers. "All this time, and this desk of yours remains unchristened," he commented, running his hand along the wood thoughtfully.

"Are you offering to help rectify that situation?" Giles asked, sliding a hand along Ethan's thigh. Not that they had time for anything right then, but that didn't mean they couldn't... discuss the situation.

"It's a handsome desk," Ethan said, his eyes dark and seductive. "I think it deserves better treatment than it's been getting. I mean, not even furniture wants just work, work, work all the time..."

Giles again ran his eyes over Ethan's body. "It could possibly use some new... decoration." His hand slid further up Ethan's thigh.

Ethan's eyes blinked slowly like a cat's. "I'm game."

"Aren't you always?"

"Well, yes." Ethan grinned. "So the question is, are you?" Giles reached up and latched onto Ethan's shirt, pulling him down for a kiss.

The intercom buzzed.

Sighing, Giles gave Ethan an apologetic look and then hit the button. "Yes, Pamela?"

"Your three o-clock is here," Pamela said in frosty tones that were clearly not meant for Giles. Ethan screwed up his face and after clasping Giles' shoulder briefly, went back to the windowsill.

"Thank you Pamela. You can send her in -- in a couple of minutes." Giles turned the intercom off and turned to Ethan. "Let her sweat that much longer. Are you ready for this?"

"I think so. She... what she did nearly destroyed us, together with effects of the Chaos. But I'm satisfied to let you get our vindication here. I'll be quiet." He chuckled softly, and added, "--ish."

"Quiet-ish will be good enough. We've still a minute if you want to sneak in that one kiss..."

Ethan didn't seem to need any more encouragement. He came straight back and leant over with his hands on the arms of Giles' executive chair. Giles reached up and slid a hand to the nape of Ethan's neck, pulling him down to remaining distance to his lips.

The kiss was hard and deep, made all the more so by the awareness of the short time they had. Ethan half-fell, half-arranged himself onto Giles' lap, their mouths not parting in the process. His lips were open to Giles' tongue, his hands exploring Giles' chest.

As always, Ethan's enthusiasm threatened to carry Giles away with it; he upped the intensity of the kiss even more, his free hand dropping into Ethan's lap. Ethan groaned quietly and squirmed. It was always so very easy to get lost in Ethan; Giles' senses focused in on his lover, warm and so very 'right' in his arms, and so it came as a nasty shock when a harsh female voice filled the room.

"Oh really. This is too much."

Giles deliberately let the kiss linger for a few seconds longer before reluctantly pulling back. "Hello, Francesca."

She was glaring at him over the desk, her expression one of angry revulsion. "Are not your crimes against me sufficient that you have to also subject me to this repulsive display of... " She seemed at a loss for words.

"Degeneracy?" Ethan suggested sweetly, making no move to get up. "Debauchery? Unnatural and obscene behaviour?"

"If you won't wait until you're shown in, I'm not going to apologise for what you're interrupting," Giles told her bluntly.

"I am here at the appointed time," Francesca said, cold fury frosting every word. "You are merely sadistically rubbing my nose in it."

"Odd, that," Ethan said, drawing himself languorously to his feet and stretching. "I can't imagine why we'd want to be cruel to you."

"Mr Rayne." Francesca drew herself up, showing her full catwalk model height. "I do not have to converse with you, and I have no idea why you feel you have a right to be present at this meeting."

"Because I asked him to be," Giles said sharply. Even with what this meeting was for, the woman could get under his skin faster than anyone since, well, her father.

Ethan smirked at Francesca and made a little flourishing bow before heading back to the windowsill, pausing on the way to kiss Giles' forehead. Francesca didn't move, but continued to stare furiously across the desk.

Regaining his own composure, Giles leaned forward and slid a folder across his desk until it was in front of Francesca. "Just so we're clear what we're talking about."

Looking very much like she didn't want to, Francesca flicked the cover of the folder opened and looked down at the first page. "I know what you *stole*," she said icily.

"Considering what's in those papers, a certain cliché about pots and kettles comes to mind," Giles pointed out.

"Can we stop dancing about and get to the point, Rupert?" she demanded. "What is it you want?"

"Ah, but I get to dance so rarely these days." Giles shot a complicit glance over to Ethan's direction, knowing the vague reference to the blackmail material that Francesca had had and lost would annoy her all the more. "But fine. We will cut to the heart of the matter. I want you gone."

Her face twitched. "Gone?"

A soft and rather evil chuckle came from Ethan's direction; there was still something of sadist in his lover, it seemed.

"Gone," Giles confirmed, savouring the look on Francesca's face. "Out of the country would be nice, preferably at least out of the city." He let his expression and voice grow cold. "But definitely off my Council and away from the Slayers."

"No." The word seemed more a denial that she'd even heard his words than a simple refusal.

Giles merely leant back in his chair and looked at her.

She met his gaze. "You can't sack me. I may not have the evidence of your... sickness any longer, but there are laws in this country to stop people like *him*--" She waved dismissively in the direction of Ethan. "--ever getting near children, and much though I'd rather not sully the Council's good name, I'll do that before I let it fall so completely into your hands."

Giles heard Ethan stand up behind him. "Ms Travers. Frannie," Ethan started, his voice using a deliberately despicable tone that Giles hadn't heard in years. He stalked across the room towards her. "If you are implying what I believe you may be implying, you better be prepared to discover just how moral-free I can be. And yes, that is a threat." His smile was predator-sharp.

"You seemed to have missed the part where you have no power whatsoever, Francesca," Giles broke in. "You will either tender your resignation or I will, as you so aptly put it, sack you, and the entire Council and beyond will know the reasons why. The Travers' name will be tarnished badly, quite possibly beyond repair. As for any threats you feel the need to make against Ethan, you'll find that all you have to use to do so is your own word. Which won't be worth much if the proof of your lies, deceit and fraud is laid out for the world to see."

Her face was so taut that it looked as if something might snap. She looked down at the file, up again at Giles, then back down at the file. "I suppose you have it ready for me to sign," she said finally, her posture one of barely repressed fury and not defeat at all.

Wordlessly, Giles slid the document across the desk.

She pulled it to her, and with a shaking hand signed her name at the bottom of the resignation. Throwing the pen down, she glared between Giles and Ethan. "You won't get away with this. I'm not the only Council loyalist; I was merely their spokesman. The Council will not remain in your debased hands for long."

"Really, Frannie," Ethan giggled. "Do you look all these words up in Roget's before seeing us? I believe you haven't used either 'perverted' or 'dissolute' so far today, so you may want to get them in quick before you leave this place and give us the profound pleasure of never laying eyes on you again."

Giles collected the letter back and returned it to the folder. "Since I do believe that's all the business we have," he began in his most professional tones, then let his voice show some of his real feelings for the woman standing in front of him. "I'd appreciate it if you would get the hell out of my sight. You have to the end of the day to clean out your office."

Giles couldn't imagine an expression more loaded with furious hate than the one that was directed at him now. Francesca turned to go, but then paused. "And my dog?"

"If you deliver the dog's papers, I'll be more than happy to pay for him," Giles told her. "But Gwydion stays with me."

She didn't answer, merely turned to Ethan and spat, "Abomination!" causing him to laugh in her face, and then strode from the room, slamming the door behind her.

Ethan grinned gleefully at Giles. "Bracing, that."

"I enjoyed it far more than I probably should have," Giles admitted ruefully, sitting back in his chair and smiling at his lover.

"I think we're allowed a smidgen of gloat here, dearheart." Ethan moved around to Giles, dragging his fingers along the desk. ""I suppose we haven't time for some celebratory shagging, have we? What with mattresses to buy and goodbye meals for Kat to organise?"

"No time, I fear, for seeing it done all right and proper," Giles said with real regret.

Nonetheless, Ethan approached Giles and dropped to his knees before him. "Well, maybe not the desk today then, but there must be time for something more... direct." He put his hands on Giles' knees and licked his lips.

Giles closed his eyes as Ethan reached for the zipper on his trousers and undid it. "I...suppose we can spare a few minutes," he admitted.

NEXT