Title: Words Will Never Hurt?
Author: Kate R.
Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be.
Rating: PG-13 to R
Pairings: Giles/Ethan, Angel/Wes/Spike
Summary: The children learn a lesson about words and how they hurt.
Words Will Never Hurt?
by Kate R.
He approached the library like a man going to his execution. He was tired inside. Rupert Giles was at the end of his emotional strength. He was weary of the insults and snide comments and yet he was heading into another day of them. He envied Wesley Spike and Angelus some days. Wesley at least had a shield from the hurtful words.
"Look, it's the old British guy," Buffy said snidely as he walked into the library.
He sighed wearily and walked past them. He was heading towards his office feeling the weight crushing down on him and he swallowed. This was going to be a bad day. A Very bad day.
"See you for training, Giles," Buffy said.
"Late Tweed guy," Xander and Willow said leaving.
Giles closed his office door and laid his head on his desk as all the insults came back into his mind. Those about his age, his food, his clothes, his speech and he felt tears sting his eyes.
"Let me out," he whispered. "Let me out let me out let me out."
"All you had to do was ask," a familiar voice said from behind him.
Giles' head snapped up and around in shock and he stared. "Ethan?" he whispered in shock.
The man opened his arms and Giles lunged into them.
"Ethan!" He cried happily.
"Hallo, Ripper," Ethan said rubbing his back. "Are you ready now?"
"Yes," Giles whispered. "Please, I'm ready."
"Come then," Ethan, said taking his arm. "Lets go get you ready---Ripper."
Part 1
The mall was pretty crowded even at noon, Giles thought as they walked through it. Of course it was overcast today so the wet weather may have driven the adults of Sunnydale indoors for lunch. He grinned feeling the denim of his jeans against his legs and he was happy. Ethan had insisted they buy those clothes first. They weren't done by a long shot but it was not tweed and he
was glad.
"What are you hungry for, luv?" Ethan asked as they scanned the food court.
"Pizza, I think," Ripper answered.
He stopped as a familiar face and voice caught his attention and he grinned leading Ethan over to the table. "Wesley?" he asked.
The young man jumped around but then breathed a sigh of relief realizing the children weren't with Giles.
"Sorry," Ripper said. "Just wondering how you've been. Oh, Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, my lover, Ethan Rayne."
"Hello, Wesley," Ethan said.
"Oh," Wesley said. "Please, join me. Angelus and Spike will be back in a moment. Angelus wanted to get something and he wanted Spike's opinion and I wanted some food. We've been here since opening."
"Clothes shopping?" Ripper asked.
Wesley nodded and Ripper chuckled. "Me too. Ethan said I needed non tweed clothes so we're here and I think I just quit my job in the library."
"Good for you mate," Spike's voice said as he and Angelus joined them sitting on either side of Wesley. "Bout Bloody Time you ask me."
"No one did, William," Angelus said with a fond smile. "But, I agree. Hello Rupert."
"Ripper," Giles said. "Next person who calls me Rupert is going to lose some teeth. So, ideas on clothes for me beyond and jeans and tees Ethan and I plan on getting?"
"Leather jackets," Angelus said. "Boots, fingerless leather gloves, cigarettes I'm thinking. New Zippo lighter. Couple of knives. Hell, we'll just take you around with us cause I'm sure this is going to be more than a Watcher's Budget. You're family so I'll cover it."
"You mean that?" Ripper asked.
Angelus nodded. "So long as I never have to acknowledge the brats as family, you are definitely a member of my clan. The both of you are. Now, eat your pizza and let's be getting started. Ethan, you need to eat more as well as Ripper and Wesley so you're going to have to start eating helpings in increasing sizes."
Ethan nodded and looked at Ripper who shrugged. Never argue with the Scourge of Europe.
Once they finished, the group of five began to seriously shop.
Ripper, like Wesley, needed everything. They stopped to get Wesley's ear pierce and then continued on. They were in several stores more than once and buying things just because it caught their fancy and were on their third circuit of the mall when they heard a throat clearing behind them.
"Can I help you?" Ripper asked turning to face Buffy, Willow and Xander.
"Where have you been, Giles?" Buffy demanded. "And what are you wearing? You wear tweed. That's all you wear. And, Angel. What are you doing here with those two? I told you Wesley was persona non grata and Spike? What has gotten into you, Angel?"
"Angel," he asked as he turned to face her "Actually, Buffy," he casually reached behind his neck and undid the clasp holding his hair in a pony tail allowing his dark hair, his Long dark hair, to spill down around his face. "Guess again."
"Angelus!" She whispered in shock.
END PART 1