Magic Box, Tuesday

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

Giles was in a better mood today when he opened the shop. More distance from the weekend and the fact that Buffy was supposed to come in today seemed to be both mood improvers. Also, the brownies he'd been given yesterday that had taken him right back to his youth and his days of experimentation with, ah, altered states of consciousness hadn't exactly hurt either.

He'd also brought with him a small bag of peanuts which he poured out into a dish and left up on the spell components shelf. If there were going to be squirrels frequenting the place, he'd much rather they eat those than any of the actual merchandise.

The Magic Box was open.

Comments

[1ordinarygirl.livejournal.com]

After driving bumper cars and crashing into things on purpose, Buffy was a very cheerful Buffy indeed when she walked into the Magic Box. She was carrying two take-away mochas from the Perk. "Good morning, Mr Giles!"

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"Good morning, Buffy," Giles greeted her, looking up from the purchase orders he'd been filling out.

[1ordinarygirl.livejournal.com]

"I got you coffee." She held out one of the mochas towards him. She sipped her own and looked around. "So what do you want me to do?"

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

Giles was a little surprised at the offered coffee, but took it with a, "Thank you." It wasn't the drink he'd have chosen for himself, but he appreciated it nonetheless.

He sipped at it as he considered her question. The fact that they hadn't discussed her being a Slayer -- his Slayer -- yet was probably something that should be addressed. But... not yet. It had always been a thorny subject back when his Buffy had been this age and he wanted to have her continued presence for a little while longer without worrying about her running off.

"I'll take you through the store's inventory," he said instead. "Is there anywhere in particular you want to start?"

[1ordinarygirl.livejournal.com]

Buffy shrugged. "With the stuff that's not dusty old books?"

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

That pulled a smile out of Giles. Some things, it seemed, were the same across dimensions. "How about my weapons collection?" he suggested. Which weren't exactly store merchandise, but still.

[1ordinarygirl.livejournal.com]

Buffy's eyes lit up. "You have a weapons collection?"

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"I do," Giles confirmed. "It's locked up in the back. Would you like to see?"

[1ordinarygirl.livejournal.com]

Buffy bounced. "Yes, please!" She had definitely made a good choice when she'd decided to apply for a job here, she decided, grinning.

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

After classes, Bridge enters the shop looking around curiously.

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

Giles looked up from his paperwork. "Can I help you?"

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Hi Mr. Giles. Uh. Sir." Bridge gives a little wave. No, he never met the other Giles. But he has seen pictures and stuff.

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"Hello." Mindful of other confusing conversations he'd had, Giles added, "I'm not actually the same Giles who used to run the bookstore."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

Bridge nods. "I know. I never actually met that one. Xander was supposed to introduce me I think but..." he shrugs.

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"You're a friend of Xander's?" Giles asked, his manner changing and more personal warmth creeping into his voice.

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

And despite all the weirdness of the past few days, Bridge can't quite help the dorky smile that springs up at Xander's name.

"He's one of my favourite people," he says honestly.

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

Giles smiled a little at Bridge's sudden grin. Mindful of what Willow had mentioned, he said, "I'm... getting the impression you're more than friends?"

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"It's kind of complicated," Bridge says, the grin wavering a bit. "But- yeah- then he had to leave, but now he's back and it's been six years for him and it's been... four months, here." He says that all in a rush. "So. Complicated." To say the least.

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

Giles nodded in understanding. "Travel between dimensions is always tricky to synch up."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"This is why I vastly prefer wormholes to portals," Bridge says with a solemn nod.

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"I'm afraid the only wormholes I've had experience with are the ones that have actual worms living in them."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"They're like portals, functionally. Only they're usually in space so you have to fly through them and they don't cut people off from extra-dimensional contact for six years."

Bridge? Bitter? No.

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"You're in contact again now," Giles pointed out, sensing a rant in the making if he didn't change the focus of the conversation.

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Bridge says. "Though he's older. Which... I don't have a problem with. He does, though." Wow. They've only just met and Bridge hasn't even mentioned his *name* yet and he's already spilling this stuff.

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

Been here a week and already, Giles was finding himself involved in Xander's lovelife. How did he keep getting involved in these conversations? Though, on the plus side, this young man seemed not to want to share details of Xander's sexual prowess which already put him a step above Anya.

"I'm sure there's a period of adjustment on both sides," he said, trying to sound reassuring.

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"That's one term for it," Bridge sighs. "And... I haven't even introduced myself. My name's Bridge Carson, sir." He says, holding out one gloved hand.

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"Rupert Giles," Giles said, shaking Bridge's hand. "Although it sounds like you already knew that." He paused. "You wouldn't happen to be a demon or something similar, would you?"

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Been possessed by one. But that was last week, not while we were still dating." Yes, that is in fact a joke about the whole possession thing. Yay progress.

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"Happens to the best of us," Giles assured him. "Xander was possessed once too, by a hyena spirit."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"I think I remember him telling me about that," Bridge says with a nod. "Also something about fishmonsters."

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

Giles smiled. "Ah yes. Xander's stint on the swim team."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"In case you were wondering, he does not have fishie-thoughts," Bridge informs Giles solemnly.

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"I.... wasn't particularly, but thank you for the reassurance."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Well, you know me," Bridge says, ignoring the fact that Giles... kinda didn't, as they'd only just met. "Always glad to help."

[exwatcher.livejournal.com]

"I'll keep that in mind."

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Cool," Bridge nods. "So what brings you to Fandom? Uh, aside from our lack of a Magic store, I guess. Unless that's why you're here, in which case I guess I didn't need to ask."