Pairing: Buffy/Giles Rating: G. This is about as squeaky clean as it gets, folks. Spoilers: None in particular, but set a week or two after Chosen, and assumes some serious fence-mending has gone on during that time. Summary: Buffy learns something about Giles that she likes. Author's Notes: This comes to you courtesty of my habit of answering my own challenges. This one is Monday Mini-Challenge #1 on GilesRulesBaby wherein someone catches Giles watching his favorite movie. Dedication: To Gail and Karen, in hopes they feel better, and to my brother the Wombat who allowed me to borrow his Robin Hood DVD almost as soon as he'd gotten it. Giles settled himself eagerly on the hotel bed with a bag of microwave popcorn and a bottle of water he'd gotten from the vending machine down the hall. Just as he clicked on the remote control for the TV, there was a knock at the door. "Blast!" he grumbled as he padded to the door. "Bloody perfect timing." "Hey, Giles," Buffy said, breezing into the room as soon as the door was open. "Got some time for a little Watcher/Slayer bonding?" "I - well, this isn't a particularly good time...." "Why? What's up? You don't have someone coming over already, do you?" "I - I...no. No, I don't." "But I'm getting definite 'in the way' vibes. C'mon, Giles, you can tell me. What am I interrupting?" For the first time, Buffy seemed to become aware of the TV in the background. She looked at it thoughtfully. "What's this?" she asked. "And who's the guy with Bambi around his neck?" "It's The Adventures of Robin Hood," Giles mumbled, embarrassed. "And the fellow with the deer scarf is Errol Flynn." Buffy sat down on the bed and helped herself to some popcorn. She patted the spot next to herself, indicating that Giles should sit with her. "So, the babe there must be Maid Marion, and I'm guessing that little weasly guy next to her is the Sheriff of Nottingham, right?" "You've never seen this?" Giles surmised as he sat again, and attempted unsuccessfully to liberate his snack. "Yes, that's Maid Marion, as played by Olivia DeHavilland, but the 'little weasly guy' is Claude Rains, and he plays Prince John." "No way! Claude Rains? Isn't he the guy in Casablanca?" "One of them, yes." "Cool. He looks totally different in color." They watched in silence for a while, only commenting on the swordplay and other battle tactics. After a while, though, Buffy turned to watch Giles watching the movie. A small smile played about his lips, which occasionally moved to whisper a favorite line under his breath in time with the film. Something in her heart seemed to melt at the sight. "You really like this movie, don't you?" she blurted out before she could stop herself. "Yes," he said in a slightly startled tone. "It's my favorite." "Why?" Buffy couldn't have said why it was important to her to know this, but suddenly, it seemed there was nothing in the world more vital to understand. "I mean, there are a lot of Robin Hood movies. Not to mention not-Robin Hood movies. Why this one?" She held her breath and waited for one of Giles' carefully composed non-answers. "I suppose, because this is what I always dreamed heroism would look like," he said quietly. "That it would be happy. That all danger would be faced with joy as well as courage. That the right would be clear. That comradeship would last without friction or pain. And, I suppose, I believed that one day King Richard would return, and we'd be done. There would be peace and rest at the end of the journey, in the company of good friends, and someone to love truly." "It hasn't exactly been like that, has it?" she asked shakily. "King Richard is seriously overdue, and we've hurt each other more ways than I knew there were to do it when we met. Not to mention that nobody to love thing. That bites." "And of course, when I speak of King Richard, one must remember that I'm speaking of the symbolic Rightful King of the legends. The real Richard wasn't nearly so...shiny and perfect." "Great," Buffy grumbled, "another fairy tale bites the dust. Next you'll be telling me that Jack's beanstalk not only wasn't very big, but it wasn't really a beanstalk at all." "I have no inside information on that matter, I'm happy to say," he said with a slight shudder. "But once you look past the surface of any fairy tale or legend, the gloss rather wears off. When one takes away all the bright colors, and witty banter, and Korngold music, one may find oneself left with nothing but Kevin bloody Costner. Still, that doesn't mean there isn't anything to be gained from the legend." "So what are you left with? And what's wrong with Kevin Costner? Wait a minute, don't answer that part. Experts are still studying that question post-Waterworld. But the what are you left with bit... I'd kinda like to know that one." "Oh, I suppose... a sense that there is a sort of order that ought to prevail, whether it actually does or not," he answered at length. "A sense of personal honor that transcends written law and tradition. And a strong predilection for dark-haired women who are willing to stand up to me and fight for what they believe in." "Do they have to have dark hair?" Buffy said before she could stop herself. "I suppose not, but I do like dark hair and soulful eyes. It's a weakness." "Nah, not a weakness. You just... know what you like. Sorta like me and the older men thing." They laughed slightly and went back to watching the movie. This time, Buffy shared the popcorn. Eventually, King Richard returned to England, Robin was exonerated of his crimes, Sir Guy of Gisborne paid the ultimate price for his evil ways, and the happy couple was united. As the credits ran, Buffy dusted off her hands and stood. "That was fun," she said. "We should do it again sometime." "Yes, that would be nice," Giles agreed with a shy smile. "I'll even let you pick the film, so long as you promise not to inflict an inferior Robin Hood on me." "You know," Buffy said casually as she headed for the door, "I've been thinking about going natural, lately." "N-natural? What do you mean?" "My hair. I'm thinking I haven't really had all that much fun being blonde. Maybe my luck will change if I go back to what nature intended in the first place." "What color is that?" "Dark brown. About that Olivia DeHavilland color. I've been thinking lately, it's not so bad." She grinned up at him. "Well, I better go. See ya'!" Giles watched her go, his mind slightly foggy, but happy. Buffy with dark hair... and her eyes certainly were soulful.... "All we need now is Sherwood Forest."