__Linguistics__
By Dien
"Hola, Senor Giles!" Buffy yelled cheerfully as she, Xander, and Willow bounced into Giles' apartment.
"Er, yes, hello," Giles said, giving her a quizzical look. "I take it that the Spanish classes at the University are going well?"
"Muy bien!" Willow grinned, and Xander groaned.
"They have been talking nothing but El Spano for three weeks and I am going crazy, Giles! I can't stand it anymore!" he cried.
"You're just jealous 'cuz you can't speak Spanish," Willow sniffed.
"Hey, it's not my fault that stupid teacher dropped me from the class! That was an entirely innocent mistake on my part, I'm telling you," Xander muttered.
Buffy and Willow rolled their eyes in unison.
"What mistake?" Giles asked curiously.
"Well--"
"It involved--"
"There was this whoopee cushion--"
"--and some whipped cream--"
"Xander was missing a shoe--"
"But then the toilets next door sort of, well kind of overflowed and--"
"Never mind. I am suddenly deciding, in the interests of pre-serving my sanity, that I don't really need to know the intimate details," Giles muttered, heading back into his kitchen. "So, why exactly are you all here?"
"Lunch, remember? You offered to order pizza for all of us today. Right, Wils?" Xander said hopefully.
"What are you talking about? Giles didn't--" Willow abruptly cut off as Xander elbowed her, glaring at her.
"Sorry, Xander. Nice try, but Willow's right. I most decidedly did not offer to buy you lunch today," Giles smiled.
"Nuts," Xander sighed.
"Actually, Giles, Buffy and me were hoping to study for our Spanish exam here. The cafeteria is way too noisy to study in," Willow explained.
"Ah," Giles murmured, as Xander added a few choice words about the Spanish professor's exams, the Spanish professor, and Spanish in general.
"I take it you don't much like Spanish, Xander?" Giles said, trying not to laugh.
"He doesn't know any," Buffy interjected.
"Yes I do!" Xander yelled.
"Like what?"
"Um. Ah. Well. Okay. Nacho! And taco! And burrito and chalupa and gordita and Yo Quiero Taco Bell!!" Xander said triumphantly.
"Why am I not surprised?" Buffy groaned.
"And hey, speaking of all of those, I'm hungry and there's a Taco Bell right down the street, so goodbye!" Xander called over his shoulder as he headed out the door. Buffy and Willow burst into giggles. Giles rolled his eyes and shut the door that Xander had left open. "Yes, you're perfectly welcome to study here, girls," he sighed, returning to his books.
"Gracias!" they said simultaneously.
Some ten minutes later, Willow and Buffy were decidedly not studying for the exam, although they rationalized it as such. In truth it was more like gossiping in Spanish. And soon the conversation turned to Giles.
"Okay, admit it, Wils, you had a crush on him, like, all through high school," Buffy whispered in Spanish, stealing a glance at the oblivious Watcher.
"Why are you whispering? It's not like he can understand us," Willow whispered back.
"Well, then why are you whispering?" Buffy said before they both cracked up insanely. Giles gave them "The Look" and a raised eyebrow. "Perdon," Willow said unrepentantly between giggles. He shook his head and returned to his book.
When they recovered, Buffy said,"Well, didn't you?"
"Well, of course! Faith was right, you know. He is NOT bad-looking. And he's smart. And the accent doesn't hurt," Willow said, blushing.
"Mmm. Nor those green eyes," Buffy said thoughtfully.
"And he's tall," Willow added.
"Uh-huh. And remember with the Band Candy, the jeans? And that earring," Buffy said appreciatively.
"Oh yeah," Willow grinned.
Buffy looked around conspiratorially before saying with a rare blush, "Okay, you can't tell a SOUL, but he has a butt on him--! You can't tell with that stupid tweed, but in the jeans, it's just like, 'Oh, god.'"
"Oh, yeah," Willow said more emphatically, both of them turning to stare speculatively at the still oblivious Watcher, studiously researching.
"And you know, he has a really cute smile," Willow murmured, very glad for Spanish class and enjoying the thrill of saying all of this right in front of the object of their affection--without him knowing.
There's no telling where the conversation might have gone if Xander hadn't chosen that moment to burst back in through the front door, bringing bags of delicious smelling Taco Bell and grinning widely. "Hey, Scoobies! The Slayer has to keep her strength up, right? So here's some El Spanola I understand! Let's nosh, everyone!!"
Buffy and Willow grinned and quickly forgot their conversation amidst Bean Burritos and Churro Twists.
Later, after the three had gone back to their classes for the day, Giles sat alone in his apartment, a wicked smile on his face as he contemplated whether or not to let Buffy and Willow know he spoke--and understood--Spanish perfectly.
* * *