According to Buffy, it is tradition for her real dad to take her somewhere special on her birthday. This year her dad decided to bail out on her, so she says to Giles, "'if someone were free they would take their daughter, or their student, or their Slayer'".
It is kind of funny how Buffy is slightly beating around the bush, but her intentions are perfectly clear; she accepts Giles as her father figure. Not having a father around really opens the gap for someone like Giles to come in and take that father role. Giles being Watcher is really the first step to that. Being a Watcher or parent involves watching over someone without having direct contact 24/7, and protecting that person. Giles meets this criteria well, and since he is a man around the age Buffy's dad would most likely be, he seems to be a perfect fit as Buffy's "dad". When Buffy asks the question, it basically seals the deal on their relationship status.
I think that having someone who isn't your blood related relative doesn't mean that they can't act as a parental figure. I feel like Giles definitely fills the roll as Buffy's father and as long as he loves her and wants what's best for her, there should be no problem in him acting as the father. This is evident in today's society with people who adopt children and bring them into their house and show them a loving and caring environment.
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