Winter Of Discontent 7
Author: Gileswench
Contact: gileswench@yahoo.com
Feedback: Constructive criticism always welcome. Praise abjectly sought.
Disclaimer: It all belongs to Joss, Mutant Enemy, etc., etc., etc. I
just let them have all the fun Joss won't. I own nothing except my
twisted mind which you really don't want. Please don't sue.

"Has she calmed down at all?"

Wesley shook his head.

"For the moment. I'm not sure what's going on in her mind just now.
First she has a huge blowup with Tara and now this. I'm rather
concerned."

"Willow will be fine in the long run," Leo assured him. "You're the one
I'm concerned about."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Come into my rooms, and I'll tell you."

The two men went into Leo's study and settled themselves.

"Wesley, you have no idea how close you are to losing Cordelia
forever."

"But - I - what do you mean? I just offered to do three tasks of her
choosing, and she has yet to tell me what to do."

"Task one is already underway."

"What?!"

"It started yesterday, it seems."

"What am I meant to be doing?"

"Opening your eyes. I can't tell you any more."

Wesley groaned and shook his head.

"Wonderful. Now I'm to play guessing games. What's more, the other
women in the household are all judging this as well as Cordelia. I've
come to the conclusion that the object is to drive me mad."

Leo chuckled.

"The object is to make sure you plan to stay, no matter how she treats
you. Cordelia puts a brave face on things, but she's frightened of more
than you know."

"I know she's had more than her share of disappointment in men. I can't
blame her for being a bit...shy of commitment."

"It's more than that. I don't know what it is, but there's more to it
than she's telling you. And I suspect there are a few things you
haven't told her, aren't there?"

"There are...a few aspects of my life she knows nothing about, that's
true. But Cordelia doesn't care much to discuss the past. She prefers
to dwell in the present. I've tried to bring the subject up, but she
feels the past should bury it's own dead, as it were."

"Try harder, Wesley. She deserves to know everything about you. I don't
want to have to put out fires like the ones Rupert and Buffy have been
dealing with lately for you, too."

"How much do you know about it?"

"Not much. Only what I heard at the time."

Wesley smiled wryly.

"I shouldn't put too much faith in the Council's version of events."

"I don't. Especially now that I know you."

*****

"So, has Wes noticed the whole new you yet?"

Cordelia shook her head. She still couldn't get over how light it felt.

"Not a word," she replied glumly. "Of course he still has a few days
left to go, so maybe..."

Buffy smiled at her friend.

"You really want him to get this right, don't you?"

"Well, duh!"

"And you really want him to get it wrong, too. That's the part I don't
get."

"I do want him to figure it out."

"Yeah, I know, Cordy. It's just you want him to screw up, too. Why?"

"I think there's a sale at Nordstroms. We should check it out."

"And I guess that's your way of saying I should mind my own business,"
Buffy said with a wry smile. "Too bad I've never been good at that."

"You used to be way better at it than I was."

"Things change. Now I'm an old married lady with a baby on the way,
I've discovered the joy of meddling in other people's love lives. So
spill. Why all the mixed signals? Do you want to make Wes go away?"

"This is rich coming from little miss food fight."

"Full points for sarcasm, but the judges are going to have to shave
points off for failure to answer the question."

Cordelia laughed and sighed at the same time.

"Great. That sounded like Oz for a minute."

"Except for the fact I was wearing a real expression on my face and put
actual inflections in the delivery."

"I miss him, sometimes."

"Me too. He's a good guy. Now stop changing the subject."

"You are nowhere near as easily distracted as you used to be."

"Practicing for Momhood. Just call me Bulldog Buffy."

The pair walked in silence for a while. At last Cordelia spoke.

"Look, I get what you're doing, and I even appreciate it, Buffy. But
please don't, okay? I'm not ready to go into full sharemode in the
middle of the mall."

"Fair enough. So...how about when we get home?"

"Not even."

"Okay, fine, I lay down my arms...which is a really gross idea. I mean,
no arms. Tough for the battling. Anyway, you don't have to tell me
anything you don't want to, even if we are friends and real friends share stuff."

Cordelia rolled her eyes.

"Another world tour booked by Guilt Trips, Inc."

"Like I said, practicing for Momhood." Buffy halted and took Cordelia's
arm. "Just do me a favor, okay? I don't care if you can't tell me or
even if you can't tell Wesley what's going on in your head. That's up
to you. Just try not to lie to yourself about this. It makes for way
more trouble than it's worth. Trust me on this; I know."

"Is this supposed to be one of those obscure Angel references?"

Buffy dropped her hand and strode forward. Cordelia followed her after
a surprised moment.

"Buffy? Wait up! What's wrong with you?"

"Morning sickness. I need a bathroom now before I heave right here. And
I wasn't talking about Angel."

She reached the door to the public restroom and hurried inside.

*****

Xander walked in the door of the Magic Box and leaned across the
counter to kiss Anya. While he was doing so, Giles came out of the
training room.

"Xander, if you must perform a tonsillectomy on my assistant, may I
request that you do so elsewhere?"

In an instant, Xander had leapt from Anya and twirled around so that
his back was hard against the counter. He crossed his ankles for good
measure.

"Hey. Giles. Didn't see you there. Sorry."

Giles stopped in his tracks and peered over his glasses at the young
man.

"Are you quite alright?"

"Sure. Never better. Right honey?" he turned to Anya for assurance.

The former demon rolled her eyes.

"He thinks you're going to make inappropriate sexual advances on him. I
told him you wouldn't but he's still worried."

Giles rubbed his face in frustration, then went and sat at the tarot
table.

"Come here, Xander. Sit down."

"I'm fine here, thanks."

"Xander, please. I promise to keep my raging animal lust under
control."

The young man turned to Anya for support, but she just pointed to the
table and raised her eyebrow. Xander caved and went to sit with Giles.

The older man removed his glasses and tossed them on the table. when he
looked up at Xander it was with naked hurt in his eyes.

"What have I done to make you distrust me so?"

It was the thing Xander had least expected to hear. He'd been ready to
be yelled at or handed platitudes. He hadn't been prepared for this at
all. He ducked his head in shame.

"It's not you, Giles. You didn't do anything to me."

"Then why? You act as though I'm about to throw you on the floor and
take you here and now with no warning. Believe me, I have no intention
of doing any such thing."

"I know. It's just...it came as sort of a shock. Y'know, Buffy just
sorta blurted it out and it hit us all on the blindside. I
mean...you're gay. All this time and none of us knew."

"Xander, how long have you known me?"

"A long time. What? About four years, I guess."

"And in that time, have you ever known me to make any sort of romantic
or sexual advance on you?"

"Not that I noticed."

"Then what makes you think I will now that you know I've had a male
lover once a very long time ago?"

"Come on, Giles. If you liked it then, you're gonna do it again. It's
not that there's anything wrong with being gay..."

"I'm not. I'm bisexual, and I'm not in the least attracted to you. I
also happen to take my marriage vows every bit as seriously as my
Watcher vows. If being fired by the Council couldn't make me leave
Buffy, what makes you think a random attractive man could? I am
committed to my Slayer, and very much in love with my wife. It so
happens that they are one and the same woman. My duty and my
inclination lie in the same direction."

"Yeah, but what if you get inclined to some guy?"

Giles retrieved his glasses.

"In that case, Xander, I know what a cold shower is for."

"And my butt is safe, right?"

"Sacrosanct, I assure you."

"Okay. Look, Giles, I'm sorry. I just...I never...I'll get over it, I
promise."

As they stood, Xander surprised Giles by pulling him into a brief bear
hug.

"I'm not so good at the whole trust thing, Giles. It's my bad, not
yours, okay?"

"Not so bad, Xander. As you say, the whole thing was sprung on you with
no warning or explanation. I suppose it's understandable that you all
have questions. If you - if you need to, you can ask me anything at
all."

"Hey, you already said this didn't mean you were dumping Buffy, and my
butt's safe. What more do I really need to know? Look, I'm going in
back now. I wouldn't want you to dock my pay for goofing off, would I?"

Giles watched him go into the training room. He was startled a moment
late to find Anya by his side.

"Yes, Anya? Was there something you wanted?"

"You hugged Xander. Is this a hugging situation?"

Giles chuckled and shook his head.

"Do you want it to be?"

In lieu of a verbal answer, Anya flung her arms around his biceps. With
his upper arms pinned, all Giles could do was pat her back slightly and
laugh.


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