Title: No Words Needed
Author: Luisa
Email: leyjd@hotmail.com
Pairing: B/G
Rating: PG
Distribution: If you've had permission before, you've got it now. Everyone
else, please ask... I'm sure I'll say yes!
Summary: Giles and Buffy... talk... and find the peace there is in silence.
Set in the future in my own little AU.
Spoilers: None really, but brief references to a few ep's from S2
Disclaimer: The only thing that's mine is the plot. (if you can call it a
plot *g*)
Feedback: Absolutely!
Thanks go to... Renee and Della for your quick and excellent betaing...
Della for your "observations" and to Renee for being so thorough :) And
thanks also to Dword for your constant encouragement with my fic writing :)

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No words were needed.

As Rupert Giles lifted his eyes slowly to meet those of the stunning young
woman in front of him, Buffy raised hers to meet them. The tension had been
building between them throughout the evening - more so the last fifteen
minutes - and both felt that they could wait no longer... both certain that
it would kill them if they so much as tried to.

There were words that needed to be said, issues to be faced.

As their eyes met across the table, each felt the air around them suffuse
with electricity as they read into one another's souls and realised that no
words were needed.

He'd spent his entire life learning the importance of communicating
verbally. In his forty or so years, he'd learnt to speak five languages and
could read several more as a result of upbringing and destiny. A voice from
the past drifted through his mind, causing his lips to turn upward in a
slight, gentle smile, which crinkled a little at the corners. ["I can speak
12 languages..."] The smile stretched slightly wider as his old
acquaintance's voice disappeared and his head was filled with the waves of
emotion radiating from the woman he loved before him.

All those languages... all that endless studying... had been for nought.
For whenever he was in Buffy's presence he lost all command of the English
language. He couldn't help but continue to smile as he remembered how she
and all their friends had always teased him about his stuttering... yet
she'd never known that it was due to the effect *she'd* had on him.

He wanted so desperately to tell her how he felt, to pour out his feelings
in some way... any way... just to be sure that she *knew* how much she was
loved. He longed to tell her that he loved her... worshipped her... that he
would do anything for her. That he would walk through fire for her... would
die for her. He could feel his heart fill with that passionate love once
more as he continued to gaze at her; making his nerve endings tingle and a
shiver touch his spine. The love he felt for this precious woman threatened
to consume him ... yet no words came.

In the course of the last few minutes Giles' throat had become drier than
the Sahara. Despite his longings, his need to express his feelings to
Buffy, he remained silent and yet was unable to tear himself away from her
beautiful eyes. The eyes that were telling him it was okay, that she
understood the silence... and that she loved him too.

Giles gave a start... how could she love him? He was so unworthy of such a
love. He'd always viewed Buffy as a model of perfection, despite her
flaws... [Well, more perfect than I, anyway]... how could someone of such
beauty - both inside and out - love someone like himself? How could she
even look at him? He'd killed a friend, abused drugs, alcohol and magic.
He wasn't even fit to be her watcher. How could he expect to be more to her
than that? He considered himself so low... she'd always been unattainable.

Yet in the deafening silence, Buffy was telling him with her eyes that she
loved him... adored him, even. Again Giles was shaken from his doubting
thoughts as he let that single promise fill him until happiness overflowed
from his soul. The woman who was his sole reason for living loved him back
with a fervour that sent a thrill through him. [I love you too.... god, how
I love you...]

Still his words didn't come... yet his emotions could be read in his eyes...
for no words were needed.

His soul expressed itself to Buffy through two small windows, which were as
open as a conservatory to sunlight. All his doubts, fears and longings were
revealed, assuring her as she reflected on her own feelings.

She too, was remembering the countless times that Giles had fought to
explain something to her through a stutter and how she'd teased him
mercilessly throughout his speech. She remembered also, the times when his
silence had been as comforting to her as a soft blanket. A small smile
graced her face as that thought ran amok in her mind. Yes, that's what
Giles was, whether he was full of words, or expressing himself in silence...
he was a soft blanket that she just wanted to be enshrouded in.

As love shone from Giles' eyes, chasing away the doubts and insecurities in
his spirit, Buffy felt her heart lift. For so long, she'd felt that she
wasn't good enough for Giles... wasn't mature enough... or independent
enough. Her love for him had blinded her so much and she'd found herself
relying on him more and more, expecting him to be there for her, taking him
for granted, never even considering that he could love someone as childish
as she.

[I love you Giles... I know I don't show it, and in fact I probably make you
think I don't care about you more often than not, but I love you.... I
really do... I love you so much I'd... I'd...]

The look in his eyes said he knew what she was struggling to express and she
smiled at him gratefully.

In their silent exchange, they found communicating their love, their
desire... unbelievably easy; the exchange filling each with a contentment
that seemed to make them glow.

[Such a peace in silence...] Giles thought as his heart settled.

[Just one of those little moments....] Buffy smiled as she moved slightly
towards the handsome man bending toward her.

They met midway, their lips touching softly at first. They shut out the
world around them as his tongue softly teased her lips open, requesting
entry. Buffy opened willingly for Giles as butterflies danced in her
stomach, happiness filling her completely. [I'm so glad we had this
conversation...]

A sudden crash of crockery startled the couple out of their passion, and
they moved apart hurriedly remembering their surroundings.

Buffy smiled at Giles, silently teasing him for getting so carried away in
public, her eyes twinkling merrily. He smiled back, contentedly before
dropping his gaze to the table. The sundae between them still sat
untouched, it's multitude of colours from a mass of ice-cream, whipped
cream, sauces, nuts and various toppings, rapidly melting into a colourful
swirl of sticky mess. Three spoons lay patiently waiting beside the glass.

He lifted his gaze once more, a soft chuckle escaping as he reached out a
hand to tenderly touch her cheek. His face became serious once more, as he
tried one last time to find his voice "I..." [I love you]

Buffy smiled back at him, silently agreeing that she didn't want this
wonderful spell to be broken just yet. "I know" [I love you, too]

They moved closer together once more, not hearing the sound of pounding feet
heading in their direction. Again their lips touched in a sweet kiss, and
once again the moment was lost as a voice brought them back to reality with
a crash.

"MOM! DAD! Ooooh... you guys are soooo embarrassing!"

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END