Title: Typical Research
Author: LadyForASH
Rated: G
Pairing: G/B - friendship
Summary: Mrsdrake issued me a challenge. Giles and baby pictures.
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Joss.

Buffy sneezed. When she shifted the books, a cloud of dust flew into the air, and down her throat and up her nose. She sneezed again and gave out a frustrated grunt, almost throwing one of the books down on the step.

"Careful Buffy, these books are hundreds of years old," Giles admonished.

"Duh. Probably that long since they've been cleaned too!" Buffy hated research. She was supposed to be the fighter, not the reader. But Giles needed her to point out the last demon she'd fought. There was a pack of them, and their description matched several different species. So here they were, at Giles' flat, going through some of his oldest books. Buffy wasn't happy.

Giles, however, was in his element. He had a cup of tea at his elbow as he sat at his desk, whistling a little under his breath. Buffy sat at the bottom of the stairs with her own stack of books. She picked up another one and sighed before opening a page. Then she giggled. Then her giggles turned into outright laughter.

Annoyed, Giles looked up from his current tome. He didn't say anything. He just glared.

Buffy looked up, and laughed louder. Her sides started to ache and she couldn't breathe. Finally she just held up the cause of her laughter.

The book was actually an old photo album. The lone picture in the center of the page was of a little boy, naked, sitting in a big bowl. He had his winky in his hand, and a surprised expression on his face. The caption read, "Rupert Giles, aged 3.

Giles blanched. Then a bright red color crept up his neck and flowed over his cheeks and out his ears.

Finally Buffy caught her breath. She smiled at Giles and then looked down at the picture. "You were so cute! And what are you doing in this picture, hm? A little young for that, isn't it?" She couldn't help but tease him.

Giles jumped out of his chair and quickly grabbed the book from her hand. He slammed it shut, and stammered, "Th-that's not...what we're looking f-for."

The look on his face told Buffy it was better to drop the issue, then to ask the million and one questions that were now in her mind. She wondered about Giles' past. He never spoke of it, or of his family. But she could tell that he was beyond uncomfortable now. Still...Buffy smiled and patted his arm in an affectionate way. "Like I said, you were cute, and now...you're very handsome. You turned out real well."

Giles blushed again, but a small smile came upon his face. "Thank you, Buffy."

END