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Changing Hearts Series - Mistletoe -- by Ruby
Rating: PG-13
Description: Willow and Buffy help Giles decorate, sequel to Gift Wrapping.
Note: Spoilers -- Wild at Heart, The Initiative.
Disclaimer: Joss owns all.
"Are you sure you're going to be okay there alone?" Buffy asked as Willow dropped onto the sofa in Giles' living room.
"I'm sure," she answered. "It isn't like it's anything new. You know my parents have made a career of being anywhere but home."
"Yeah, but you've gotten used to dorm life. Pretty much the direct opposite of solitary confinement," the slayer said.
"Exactly. I'm going to bask in a few weeks of peace and quiet," Willow nodded.
"Okay. Anyway, you won't really be alone all that much."
Willow's eyes flew to hers, "I won't?"
"Well...I mean...there's Xander, and me, and of course, we'll have to make sure we pester Giles on a regular basis," Buffy fumbled to recover from her near slip.
"Oh, yeah," Willow agreed.
Giles emerged from the hallway, carrying a box which he placed on the floor beside several others near a bare tree in the corner. He dug around in the box and pulled out a long, tangled string of lights.
"Shouldn't you be patrolling?" he asked the slayer as she opened another box of Christmas decorations.
"I did a quick sweep. It's pretty quiet tonight. I'll go out again later," she answered.
He nodded and attempted to unknot the string of bulbs as the doorbell rang. Buffy went to open it, and Xander stepped inside with Anya on his heels. She stopped under the threshold and yanked him into a bruising kiss. The others looked on in amused fascination as the young man attempted to unglue his lips from hers. She finally pulled back and pointed above them in answer to the gang's curious stares. "Mistletoe," she said, glancing up at the sprig hanging above her.
Buffy laughed and looked at Giles, "How many unsuspecting women are you planning on luring onto your doorstep?"
"As many as possible," he grinned.
"Why have you tied Giles up with green cord?" Anya asked.
"It's self-inflicted bondage," Willow giggled.
"An extra pair of hands would be appreciated," Giles grimaced.
Buffy grabbed the other end of the string of lights and began to unravel it.
"Do I smell donuts?" Xander asked hopefully.
"And cocoa," the slayer nodded. "In the--" Xander made a beeline for the kitchen. "Never mind," Buffy grinned and began winding the lights around the tree.
"Xander and chocolate," Anya murmured staring toward the kitchen. "I'll be right back."
Giles, Buffy, and Willow exchanged pained looks as the doorbell rang once again. The slayer looked innocently over at the redhead, "Will, would you mind answering that?"
The sprig of mistletoe just inside the door did not go unnoticed by the blonde vampire standing outside. He shot Buffy a look, and she quickly dropped the string of lights behind the tree.
"Um, Giles, could you help me get those?" He nodded and ducked behind the tree as she busied herself by crawling underneath it to hand them up to him.
Spike took advantage of the former watcher's preoccupation to place his hands on Willow's shoulders and pull her into a soft kiss. When he drew away, her lips were parted slightly, and she was blushing furiously.
"Mistletoe," he spoke softly and brushed his fingers over her crimson cheek.
"Uh, yeah," she nodded a bit breathlessly.
Giles reappeared from behind the tree, struggling to hide a grin, and wondered to himself just how dense they thought he was. Whatever their misconceptions about his state of ignorance, he had no doubt that Buffy had suddenly been cured of them as she stood back up, clearly surprised by the expression on his face.
"What is taking that boy so bloody long?" he asked, maintaining the charade of blind innocence.
Buffy took his lead, "Alone, with Anya, and donuts and hot chocolate. Maybe we'd better--"
"Yes, I think we had," he nodded and lead her out of the living room.
"Your turn," Spike said as the slayer and Giles disappeared from view.
"Huh?" Willow mumbled.
He looked up and back down at her. "Oh," she replied, the flush returning to her pale face.
"Oh?" he repeated and lifted an eyebrow, silently daring her.
She grinned and stepped into him, and his arms went around her as he stole her soft kiss and replaced with a gently lingering one.
The End
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