Appreciation

[madimpossibledreamer]

Happy Father's Day to those of you who celebrate it, or hope you just had a great day to those of you who don't.

Main Points:
Buffy/Yakuza AU
Chapter Summary: Giles and Xander enjoy the holiday.
Word Count: 270
Rating: Teen because Xander being Xander

         Giles outright gasps when his boy brings out the book.  A genuine copy of the Devandiré Sibylline Codex—
         “How on Earth did this make its way into your possession?”
         Xander just waves it off, slow, sly grin growing, and with equal parts dread and resignation Giles realizes he won’t like the answer and probably isn’t getting one.  Not a real answer, certainly.  “Ya sayin’ ya don’t like it, Oton?”
         Giles sighs, even as his hands itch to take the codex, smell the old book smell, rifle through the pages of ancient knowledge…  “I do, but I would prefer if, one of these days, the Father’s Day surprise isn’t my son’s broken body.”
         Xander looks away, biting his lip, but he’s so reckless any other reminder won’t do.  “Xander.  Thank you.  Just…take care of yourself.  Please.”
         Xander glances back.  There’s no tears in his eye now, no matter how much Giles might’ve thought he’d seen a glint before.  He’s still grinning, but there’s a serious look in his eye that suggests that, for once, he’s actually listening.  (Giles isn’t sure how much of that is the particular holiday but he’ll take all he can get.)  “I’ll do my best.  I also got you something else, so I guess that’s number three, though it’s kinda selfish on my part, too.”  He produces a box of PG Tips, which is certainly a blessing and also might spontaneously go missing if Xander can’t constrain himself, given that many days look to be a contest between Willow and him about who can ingest the most caffeine.  At least he’s warning about the possibility, Rupert supposes.