There are actually a lot more than ten reasons why I love Giles, but I thought that was a good, round number. So in no particular order, here goes...

His dry humour
BtVS is a funny show, and Giles consistently cracks me up, not with the big punchlines but with his wry commentary. Sometimes when he says something, I have to clamp my hands over my mouth to keep from laughing so hard that I miss the rest of the scene. And what's even better about his humour is that I never see it coming - it always hits me when I'm not expecting it. Giles (& ASH) have the perfect blend of comic timing & delivery.

His inner fire
This fire fuels so much of his personality - his strength, his toughness, his passion, his protectiveness... not to mention how it contributes to his sex appeal. From the glimpses we've seen of Giles' inner fire, we know that even though he may be a tweed-wrapped stoic at times, that fire is always there, ready to come to the defense of those he loves.

He's an enigma
Part of Giles is a nurturer - strong, caring and loving. Part of Giles is a stammering, vulnerable man in tweed. Part of Giles is a soulful singer, passionate and tender. Part of Giles is a fierce protector, and part of him is Ripper. How much that last part is, we don't know. But I'd really love to find out.

His clothes
Giles can put a hurt on tweed like nobody's business - he even managed to make those suspenders look sexy (no small feat, that)! His detour into jeans & sweaters was great too. He appeared able to relax more - be more comfortable around the gang and not dress "apart" from them as often as he did as their librarian. Faded jeans on Giles are a very good thing. The only problem with his more relaxed clothing was that they were symptomatic of a time when he didn't have any reason to dress up anymore. Then Season 5 found him with something new, The Magic Box, and there were new suits to enjoy. But oh my, his appearance in the doorway, when he announced that he wanted to test that theory?

*swoon*

His voice
Several aspects of it, actually. His speaking voice is beautiful - I could listen to him read the phone book for hours. And his singing voice is so soulful and sexy... he'd be perfectly free to sing the phone book if he preferred. But there's a quality to his voice that I especially love - its ability to sound so strong yet so calm at the same time, to reassure and threaten with equal intensity and unspoken meaning.

That funny thing he does with his glasses
Giles just wouldn't be Giles if he didn't take his glasses off when he got frustrated. There's something so playful, nervous, sexy, and serious about it. Plus, you know that when Giles takes his glasses off to get a better look at his book, something big is about to happen.

His eyes
This is ASH as much as Giles, but never have I seen someone who can say so much with those gorgeous greens. The subtlety of emotion Giles can display is wholly moving and amazing to me. Plus, the fleck of amber in his left eye...

*swoons again*

There's always something new about Giles
Who would have guessed he'd sing at open mike nite? Or get so into his sombrero and party favours? Or be a stevedore? (okay, I did guess that one, but on the hood of a police car?!) Or deliver such a beat-down to Ethan in "Halloween"? Or be so strong under torture by Angelus? Or haul off and ram his rapier through the Mayor's chest? Or make such an incredible entrance in Two to Go? The depth of his character both inspires and delights me.

Just a touch of grey
Buffy can "old" and "gross" him all she wants, but the bit of grey he's sporting now is doing some very good things for me.

He knows his strengths
He knows when to fight and when to stop and think. He rarely ever gets in over his head (and has finally learned how not to get knocked about that head quite so much anymore). He can hold his own in a fight, and he never enters a battle unprepared. And you know that if he flies off the handle, something is seriously wrong.

Okay, so that was two swoons and four "sexy"s. Suddenly I'm in the mood to watch "Band Candy"...

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