Humming quietly to himself, Giles set the silver menorah carefully on the side table and made sure that he had the right number of candles. Then he turned to the dinner table and arranged a wooden dreidel on each folded napkin before placing a small bag of Hanukkah gelt above each plate.

"You do realize that Red's gotten her goddess on, right?" Spike said, coming down the stairs from the upper level of the apartment. "You know, all that bloody Wicca chatter I've been trying to ignore for years?"

"Yes, but I understand that Judaism is a cultural designation as well as a religion," Giles replied. "I thought it only fair to celebrate something from her heritage as well as Christmas."

"All I'm saying is she's not so big on the Bible study these days."

"Interestingly, the story of Hanukkah isn't actually in the Bible, or not in all Bibles. You see, the tale of the oil burning for eight days is in First Maccabees, which is part of the Apocrypha. Not all Judeo-Christian sects consider these books to be canonical, and, in fact -"

Spike yawned loudly.

"Sorry, did you say this was supposed to be interesting?" he asked.

Giles glared at him.

"There's no need to be rude."

"My candor is part of my charm."

"I hadn't realized," Giles said dryly, wandering into the kitchen to check on dinner.

"Don't tell me you're only with me for my boyish good looks," Spike said, settling on one of the stools by the counter and watching Giles lift the lids from the pots.

"I'm not with you for your boyish anything."

"So you've got a thing for older men, then? Not that anyone would know I'm older than you."

"No, you certainly don't act your age... or even mine, for that matter." Giles turned the heat down under the soup and set the timer on the stove.

"Would you want me to?" Spike asked, tilting his head and studying him.

"Most of the time, no." Giles gave him a half-smile. "But ask me again the next time you and Xander get into a food fight."

Spike snorted.

"He started it."

"Yes, but you were the one who got mashed potatoes on the only extant copy of the Psalter of St. Armian."

"If Harris hadn't ducked..."

Giles glared at him.

"Said I was sorry," Spike muttered.

"Yes, and you demonstrated your penitence quite nicely, as I recall."

"I'm very good on my knees."

Heat flared in Giles' gut as he remembered Spike's apology.

"Yes, you are," he said huskily.

"If you call off dinner, I'll be happy to show you my gratitude..."

Giles couldn't help but be tempted by that familiar grin and its delightful promises, but he glanced at the clock and shook his head.

"No. Our guests will be arriving shortly, and we will all celebrate Hanukkah together."

"Even if no one is Jewish," Spike said pointedly.

"Apparently so."

Spike shrugged and stood up.

"Right, then. Bring on the matzoh," he said, rubbing his hands together.

"That's Passover."

"Close enough."

"Not really."

"Look, mate, being burned by crosses kind of puts a damper on closer study of all religions. Can never be too careful, least not when it comes to searing pain with no payoff."

"I must say that I've always wondered about whether holy objects from other religions would have a similar effect." Giles began to form the outline of a plan and walked into the living room.

Spike backed away as Giles rounded the corner.

"I've done the lab rat thing already. Can't say I fancy a second go."

"You must know that I wouldn't harm you, Spike," Giles said. "I'm simply curious."

"Go be curious with some other vamp," Spike replied. "Or be curious with me about more interesting things, like how many orgasms I can give you in one night."

Giles laughed.

"I could certainly get behind that study." He caught Spike's hand and drew him closer.

"Bet you could. And on top, and beneath, and..."

Smiling, Giles kissed him, pulling Spike tightly against him. Much to Giles' surprise, it was Spike who broke away first.

"Come on, then. Let's get set up for dinner," Spike said. "Don't want to get caught half-dressed by the children again."

Giles smoothed his sweater to try to disguise some of what the kiss had done to his body.

"Yes, they should be here soon, if Buffy can manage to be on time for a change."

"If not, maybe I'll let you try to repel me with a Star of David. Just the once."

"You're too kind," Giles said, laughing.

Spike grinned.

"Yeah, I know."

~end~