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Kissing Under the T'Gathan
by Dancetomato
For spiralleds, who requested Chrismtasy Giles/Anya because there just isn't enough Ganya out there. Prompts: wasabi peas, raincoat, mistletoe, coal.
Thank you to moosesal for the lightening fast beta, and the reassurance that my Giles and Anya voices worked.
*Why did I ever feel bored with the constant sunshine of Southern California?* Giles thought to himself as he pushed his way through the door of the Magic Box shaking rain from his coat. *I've been in America too long when rain no longer makes me feel nostalgic for England.*
Or he would have thought this if he his brain were not so busy processing the pain in his right arm from where Anya had just thumped him. Hard.
"Merry Christmas!" Anya smiled brightly, looking very pleased with herself. Pleased-with-herself-Anya always tried Giles' patience.
"Why on earth did you hit me?" Giles didn't whine. Englishmen don't whine. They might get peevish, but no whining. Giles would admit to peevishness.
Anya's eyeroll was automatically translated into "duh" in Giles' internal Annoying American Body Language to Annoying American Slang dictionary. "You are standing under the T'gathan." She pointed upward.
Giles looked up and saw what appeared to be wasabi peas hot glued to his favorite pipe hanging from the ceiling. "What is that?"
"The traditional holiday T'gathan," she replied in tones reserved for young children and clueless adults. "I thought it would be nice to add some holiday touches to the store. Make customers feel welcome so that they will give me more of their money. And then I will be able to buy things and my Christmas will be very happy. Really, Giles. Don't you have any Christmas spirit?"
"I thought so, but perhaps that was just the bruise developing in my right arm. Anya, if you are so keen on keeping this human holiday, why didn't you hang up mistletoe?"
Anya looked at him horrified, like the time he had suggested that he count the money in the till at the end of the day. "Toes?!? That is disgusting!"
"Not actual toes, Anya." Giles began polishing his glasses furiously, but he consoled himself that they were spotted from the rain and for once actually *needed* polishing. "Mistletoe. It is a parasitic plant that grows in trees. We humans hang it at Christmastime."
"Parasites? Human beings can be truly ridiculous at times. What would be the purpose of these parasites?"
"When someone stands under the mistletoe--"
"You hit them!" Anya proclaimed cheerfully.
"No," said Giles, backing away in case she decided to demonstrate her conclusion. "You kiss them."
"Kiss them?"
"Yes."
"But what if they are ugly? Or old? Or they have pimples?"
"Anya, it is just a custom. Not a law."
Anya got a thoughtful look on her face. Thoughtful-look-Anya was even scarier than Pleased-with-herself-Anya. "So if the T'gathan were this parasite, you would be forced to kiss me now?"
Giles thought he saw a little gleam in Anya's eye, but he dismissed it. He wasn't wearing his glasses, after all. "If we were following traditional Christmas customs, yes."
"What does mistletoe look like?"
"Somewhat shiny green leaves, with white berries."
"Without your glasses, I bet the T'gathan looks kind of like mistletoe."
Giles look up and squinted at the strange wasabi pea garland. "I suppose so."
The kiss caught him even more off guard than the thump had. Anya had thrown her arms around his neck, pulling his face down to hers, and proceeded to kiss him with considerable enthusiasm.
Giles knew he should end the kiss. And he would. Just after he discovered what Anya tasted like. His tongue lapped at the seam of her mouth and was granted entrance into the soft, wet warmth.
After a lengthy exploration of each others mouths--or maybe it was very short and just felt like a long journey--they pulled apart.
"Peppermint."
Anya's brilliant smile faltered somewhat. "Peppermint?"
Giles brought his hand up and caressed her kiss-reddened lips with is thumb. "You taste like peppermint."
The smile was back, and suddenly for Giles it was once again a sunny Southern California day. "I ate a candy cane while I was making the T'gathan."
"I like candy canes." And Giles kissed her again, creating a new Christmas tradition of peppermint flavored kisses beneath the traditional wasabi pea garland.
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