Title: Gentle Showers
Author: Elisabeth
Email: dragonydreams@yahoo.com
Rating: PG
Summary: Giles takes Willow on their first date.
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership over these characters. I am merely borrowing them from Joss et al.
Feedback: Yes please!
Distribution: Willow's Little Secret, Wacky Witch Willow, of Demons & Destiny, anyone else - please ask.
Storm Series 3 ~ Gentle Showers
Willow is practically bouncing with excitement in the car. "So where are we going?"
Giles glances at her out of the corner of his eye, a slight chuckle in his voice. "I thought you wanted to be surprised."
"I do," she admits. "But the anticipation is killing me." She rests her hand on top of his on the gear shift and squeezes.
"You needn't worry about that, my dear." Giles looks over his shoulder to check his blind spot as he makes a turn into a parking lot. He slides the car into a spot, puts the car in park and turns to Willow. "We're here."
Willow looks around the parking lot, obviously confused. All she can see are trees surrounding the lot. "And here would be…?"
"Where I'm taking you." Giles smugly replies. He opens his door and then goes around the car to open Willow's. She accepts his hand and steps out of the car, confusion clearly written on her face.
Giles opens the boot of the car and removes the large picnic basket and a couple of blankets. Willow's eyes light up immediately.
"We're going on a picnic?"
"Sort of. Now come along." He heads for a path off to the side of the parking lot. Willow takes the blankets from him and laces her fingers with his. Giles looks at their entwined hands and smiles down at Willow. He brings their hands to his lips and he gently kisses her hand. "Just a little bit further and all of your questions will be answered."
They walk silently along the forest path, emerging at a field. Off to the side is a stage where a string quartet is warming up. In front of the stage are dozens of people on blankets or beach chairs, enjoying the warm twilight, waiting for the concert to begin.
Willow's eyes shine with wonder and her face is lit up with her grin. Giles nervously watches her reaction, desperately hoping that she will be pleased. He so wants their first date to be special.
"It's perfect," Willow sighs, looking up at Giles. He lets out a long breath of relief.
"Let's get settled then." He leads them towards the other picnickers, looking for a spot that will be somewhat secluded, but not too far away from the stage. They spread one of the blankets on the ground and make themselves comfortable.
"So what's for dinner?" Willow asks, pulling the picnic basket close to her. She lifts the lid and starts rummaging around inside. Giles smiles at her enthusiasm as he gently disentangles her from the basket. He begins unpacking it, revealing sliced French bread and pate for an appetizer, a large chef salad for their main course, and cheese and fruit for dessert. There are also a couple of bottles of water. Giles had wanted to bring along a bottle of wine, but seeing as how they would be out in public, he didn't want to caught serving alcohol to a minor – merely to be seducing one.
Willow spreads some pate on a piece of bread and holds it in front of Giles' mouth. He meets her eyes as he leans in to take a bite. He chews quickly so that he can take the remaining half, along with her fingers, into his mouth. Willow giggles as he licks her fingers clean. He then returns the favor. They finish off the bread in this fashion, feeding each other and playfully nipping at each other's fingers.
They finish off the last of the bread and stare contentedly into each other's eyes. Slowly, they start to lean towards each other. Their lips are centimeters apart when the quartet began to play an upbeat song, startling them out of the moment. They both blush and sit back, mentally cursing the lost moment.
Giles busies himself by serving the salad. They relax as they eat and begin to enjoy the music. When their plates are empty, Willow scoots over next to Giles and leans against him. He spreads the other blanket over their laps and wraps his arms around her. She relaxes even further into his warm embrace. Both sigh in contentment.
As night begins to settle on the field, torches are lit around the clearing, adding some additional light to the electric ones lighting the stage. Willow looks around at the other concert goers feeling slightly voyeuristic as she realizes that very few of the couples on blankets are merely sitting and watching the quartet.
She looks back up at Giles and finds him watching her. She smiles at his blissful expression and stretches her head closer to his. Giles can't resist her invitation and gently covers her lips with his. He raises the hand that isn't holding her to entwine in her hair. They continue to share soft breath-stealing kisses, along with some intense open-mouthed kisses, until long after the music stops.
Eventually they become aware of people moving around them, couples whispering to each other of an urgency to hurry home, and someone calling out, "Hey the show's over, get a room." That finally gets Giles to, regretfully, pull back, breathing deeply to fill his oxygen-deprived lungs. Willow shyly looks around as she does the same, hoping that that comment wasn't directed at them.
Quickly, they gather up the blankets and picnic supplies and head back towards the car. They follow the torch lit path through the trees, Willow's arm around Giles' waist and his around her shoulders.
"I was right," she quietly confides to him as they near the car.
"How so?"
"It was perfect."
Giles sets the basket down and embraces Willow. "That it was," he agrees and kisses her for a long moment. When they separate Giles opens Willow's door and quickly stows the basket and blankets in the back seat before moving around to get behind the wheel.
The drive back to the dorm is silent, each lost in memories of the evening. Willow's hand once again rests on Giles' shifting hand as he drives. After he parks in front of Stevenson Hall Giles lifts Willow's hand to his lips and kisses it before exiting the car and moving around to open her door for her. He offers her his elbow, which she takes as they head inside.
They tarry at Willow's door, neither wanting the evening to end just yet.
"May I... May I see you tomorrow?" Giles nervously asks.
"I'd like to see someone try and stop me," Willow grins.
Giles glances around the hallway and once he is certain it is empty he kisses Willow good night. Willow's arms wrap around his neck and his are holding her tightly to his body when Buffy opens the door saying, "I thought I heard... Eew. Sorry." She quickly closes the door again.
Both are grinning when Willow pulls back, licking her lips.
Giles gives a small cough of embarrassment. "Tomorrow then," he whispers.
"Tomorrow," Willow agrees. Giles kisses her cheek and Willow turns to enter her room. He stands staring at her closed door for several minutes, a happy grin on his face, before finally heading back to his car and home to dream of Willow.
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~ Buffy is sitting on her bed waiting for Willow when she finally comes in. One look at her best friend's dazed, happy face tells her everything that she needs to know about Willow's date, but she can't resist asking, "So, I take it the date was a success?"
Willow sighs as she sits on her bed, "It was perfect."
Buffy continues to look at her with a knowing look until Willow finally comes back to the present and begins to blush.
"And where did Mr. Perfect take us on this fabulous date?"
"We had a picnic in the park and there was this string quartet and it was all just so romantic." Willow gives another contented sigh.
"And were there smoochies? I'm guessing there were seeing as how I interrupted your good night."
"Yeah," Willow confirms with a blush and a silly grin.
"No details, please. I may have accepted you dating my watcher, but I am in no way ready to hear about his kissing technique."
"That's a relief."
"Hey! What? Are you saying that I'm usually nosy?" Willow opens her mouth to try to deny it, but Buffy continues on, "Doesn't matter. I was about to head out on patrol when you and Giles decided to block the doorway. So I'll leave you to your thoughts and go do my thing. Sweet dreams."
"Thanks Buffy. Good night."
"What, no good night kiss?" she jokes.
Willow throws a pillow at Buffy as she closes the door. "And what a good night it was," she whispers.
On to Storm Series 4 ~ Storm in a TeapotCopyright© June 2003