Author: M. Jade
Title: Tension
Email: m_jade34@hotmail.com
Summary: After a late night research session on Halloween, Giles gives
Willow some lesson in tension relief
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: After “No Place Like Home”
Feedback: Makes authors happy
Disclaimers: Me own BtVS? Surely you jest
Distribution: To all my old haunts
Notes: Answer to a general Halloween Challenge issued on the W/G mailing
list


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“This night was supposed to be fun,” Willow complained as she slapped the
book that had been on her lap closed and placed it on a near-by stack of
similar books. “We’re missing the party.” Giles looked up from his seat to
answer her.

“I am sorry Willow, but it could not be helped,” the Watcher told her.

“But you always told us that Halloween was slow for demonic activity,” the
witch countered.

“Well, yes, I have, but it wasn’t my fault that the Kyrias demon was freed,”
he told her. “And may I remind you that you are always free to go. I’m not
keeping you from the party,” he added, reminding her of where the others
were.

“I’ll stay,” she grumbled. “But this costume is going completely to waste,”
she finished. Giles looked at the red flapper dress and hat Willow had
picked out to wear and gave her a smile. Waste indeed…

“Well, it also looks like I have yet another year of letting you and the
others raid my candy bowl,” he returned. After discovering the demon's
escape, he was forced to focus on the research at hand and not the trick or
treaters who were already canvassing the neighborhood.

“I still can’t believe Xander talked you into wearing that,” Willow said
with a small giggle. As a joke, the young man had talked Giles into wearing
one of his old tweed suits, dubbing the outfit ‘Tweedman’. Giles actually
got a laugh out of it and so he complied, dragging one of his infamous suits
out of what he was beginning to refer to as ‘retirement’.

“It has a certain novelty,” Giles told her with a slight grin. Willow began
to get up to grab another book. As she freed her left leg from under her
and tried to stand up, she began to feel a telltale pins and needles
feeling. Before she could balance herself, the numb limb gave out from
under her, unable to support her weight and she feel unceremoniously to the
floor.

“Are you all right, Willow,” Giles asked as he offered her his hand to help
her up.

“Yes,” she said as she did her best to stand. “Ow,” she added as she
reached back to rub the small of her back.

“Did you hurt yourself,” Giles asked with a small smile.

“No,” Willow said quickly. “Just a little sore is all. Guess too much
researching and not enough stretching. I’m sure I’ll get it right someday.”
Giles took a few beats to think about his response, the decided what to
say.

“I could offer you a massage,” he said softly. She gave the former
librarian a look over, recalling the last time she had tried a massage
during an intense research session with Xander. It didn’t work out too
well. She shook off her apprehension, reminding herself that this was
Giles, not Xander, and that it would hurt to let him try.

“Sure,” she answered. He gestured for her to move in front of him and she
scooted to his chair, taking her seat on the carpet directly in front of it.
He took his hands and began to knead the flesh she offered, starting at
the base of her neck, moving to her shoulders, then making his way down her
back. The fringe of her dress made it somewhat difficult, but Giles did his
best. As Giles’ fingers glided across her back, Willow began to relax,
letting out a small sigh that came out to sound more like a low moan. Her
skin was beginning to react to his touch, humming with life. She let out a
sound again, this time an intentional moan as Giles continued with his
gentle massage.

“Would you like for me to stop, Willow,” Giles asked softly, pleased with
the reaction he had gotten from her. It was true that Willow was the one
person he considered his best friend, but he found a strange type of joy in
seeing his best friend squirm under his touch.

“No,” Willow breathed. “Don’t stop, Giles.” He smiled at her and carried
on with his task. She had closed her eyes to give herself over to the
sensation, and the sight was oddly intoxicating to him.

“Best friend indeed,” he thought to himself. “Damn fool, you’d take her in
a second.” The revelation shocked him, but only to a degree. This was
Willow, who he had always felt a certain connection and protectiveness for.
She definitely wasn’t a surrogate daughter like Buffy. No… Willow was
something different. He slowly realized that he was beginning to be
attracted to his best friend. “God help me,” he chastised himself. “Could
she…” Daring to find out, he bent down and placed a kiss at the base of her
neck.

“Gi…Rupert,” she gasped, her eyes still closed. Giles smiled and kissed her
neck again, and she returned with a low moan of pleasure. He then began to
slip the wide straps of her dress out of his way, kissing her shoulders.
His other hand was still massaging her back, moving to her side, his
fingertips coming perilously close to her breasts. Both of their minds were
swimming with the experience, daring to think the unthinkable. Giles had
begun to kiss the opposite shoulder, when they heard a commotion from
outside. They quickly righted themselves as Buffy, Riley, Anya, and Xander
came through the door. Buffy and Riley were dressed as a pirate and his
wench while Anya had convinced Xander to come as Bonnie and Clyde and all
four were holding groceries sacks. Willow giggled at Xander’s pinstripe
suit and white had. “What’s going on,” Willow said in a small voice.

“Well, we felt bad that you two got stuck with the research, so we decided
to bring the party to you. We’ve got snacks and movies to fit all you
researching needs,” Xander told them.

“Wonderful,” Giles said in an even voice as the others began to set out the
food they had brought. Willow smile up to him as she raised up off the
floor to help with the food. As she got up, she leaned in, close to Giles.

“Don’t worry, Rupert. I still owe you for the backrub,” she whispered and
Giles smiled.