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The Tale of Gaston
Nushnushganay
Posts: 9,418 Member
The story of the drama unfolding between Gaston, the Vatores, and Morgan, as it unfolds.
I have finished moving it to Archive Of Our Own under the name Nushnushganay, and it has been fleshed out considerably and changed, for those who want to read more.
I have finished moving it to Archive Of Our Own under the name Nushnushganay, and it has been fleshed out considerably and changed, for those who want to read more.
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Lilith paused, surprised, then smiled, "I see! Well then, I defer to your claim, Brother," and with an elaborate bow and an unnecessarily roguish smirk, she whirled from the room. Morgan's cheeks grew pink, and Caleb was suddenly aware of his arms on either side of her against the wall, shielding her body with his. He stepped back and straightened his clothing, avoiding her eyes.
"You shouldn't make life-altering decisions so impulsively," he admonished, feeling more in possession of himself. "I'll put the kettle on. Will you join me?" and without waiting for an answer, retreated to the steadying familiarity of the kitchen. Lilith, determined not to miss anything, sped past them, and dug through the cabinets. "I have just the thing for overwrought nerves," she chimed, "how does a blend of chamomile, passionflower, lemon balm, and just a touch of Valerian, sound?"
Caleb sighed inwardly. He wanted a chance to talk with Morgan privately, and Lilith was doing her best to make that impossible.
"Rose just woke up from her nap," he remarked, keen hearing orienting on a toddler moving about upstairs. Lilith sped off on a mission even more pressing than eavesdropping.
They sipped their tea for a moment in silence. "Want to get out of here?" he asked.
His own decision could wait. Dancing would do them both good and get past all these mixed-up emotions.
*******************************************************
At the club, a smartly-dressed stranger commanded the dancefloor.
He knew he was drawing notice, and that pleased him
Most especially when he drew the notice of a young man dressed to stand out:
After working his way back onto the dancefloor, conversing and dancing with various people a while, second target acquired.
He made sure she felt his gaze, just long enough, then continued dancing, fascinating her.
And she's a hugger. She didn't notice the bug.
Young and easily flattered by the attentions of a well-dressed, confident older man. It was almost too easy, and very pleasant, to get to know her. So this was the girl who started the domino effect? It would be someone as forward and beguiling as she was innocent and trusting. Of course, that made too much sense.
*************************************************
Gaston was called from his cell. Apparently some big brass from another city was interested in him and frisked him personally.
He woke up in another cell.
It was large, and contained a shower, toilet, and table with chairs. Pretty well-appointed.
But what was that IV drip for?
Cold fear settled in Gaston's stomach.
Let's make Liberty and Justice For All a reality.
...just based on the title?
Either way things aren't looking good for him right now.
In which Caleb has some realizations, Sunglasses Man moves his plan forward, and Gaston takes a stand.
**********************
After returning from the dance club, the awkardness was broken, and Caleb and Morgan could relax around each other again. She was staying at his place almost all the time now because things were so broken, at home. In fact she felt more at home at Wolfsbane Manor than anywhere else, and for his part, Caleb found his inner darkness lifting in her presence. Her perpetual conversation was like chipper birdsong, not unpleasant. Lilith being more busy now that Rose was a highly energetic toddler, gave them more time together.
Her taste in food, however, left much to be desired...
"You don't have to eat that," remarked Caleb as she came from the microwave with...what even was that?
"Don't have to, just want to!" she quipped. He sighed, returned to his mixing bowl. At least he could show her what real food tasted like.
"Geek Con is in town. Wanna go with me?"
He considered. It wasn't his favorite, but he'd seen how the handsome stranger in shades (who had devastating moves and sparkling conversation, *sigh*) had also chatted her up at the club. What if Morgan ran into him there, alone? "Let's go!"
*************************
He moved through the crowd, enjoying himself while taking in the scene. Got to know quite a few locals, both from what they said, and what they didn't. Made a few mental notes, enjoyed some stall food. It was like being Santa, compiling a Naughty and Nice list. He chuckled.
The girl child who fancied herself a woman, was scoping him out from a distance, thinking he didn't notice. He let her continue to think that, while appearing to check out a cosplayer going by. But she didn't come up and greet him. Too bad. But he already had everything important from her anyway.
****************************
On arrival, Caleb made an excuse to separate, and decided to take in the scene in bat-form. From far above the crowd, he spotted Sunglasses Man readily. Morgan was hanging back nearby. Had he seen her? It was hard to tell. What was she doing? Spying on him? Trying to work up the nerve to approach him? Caleb moved in closer. A quick fly-by --and nearly dropped from the air in surprise.
Sunglasses Man smelled of Gaston!
He had to know. Once the convention ended, he tailed him in bat form, out of the city, all the way to an isolated ramshackle trailer dwelling.
Suddenly Caleb was aware, faintly, of Gaston's presence. Was he being held here? Or was it possible they were connected somehow? He felt as if Gaston were in trouble.
Caleb had been the one to find and befriend Gaston when he was freshly bitten. Had been horrified to learn that Gaston had no idea who his Maker was, that she had come in the night like a succubus, having her way with him and turning him, without troubling herself about consent. He befriended him, intending only to help.
He could still smell the vomit as he held Gaston's head, could still see him lying unresponsive while Caleb's hands found the rosary under his shirt: "Padre nostro, che sei nei cieli, sia santificato il tuo nome..."
And then the moment of decision. He had come to love Gaston even if Gaston didn't return it. There was no more time to think: he bit his wrist deeply, and cradled Gaston's head, willing him to drink.
And Gaston had survived. Caleb stayed with him, teaching him, guiding him. And to his surprise, one day, Gaston offered him a rose. And they had loved truly, deeply, without reservation.
No matter what Gaston had done or become, he couldn't leave him to whatever Sunglasses Man had in store.
****************************
After a shower and a change into clothing more fitting his next purpose,
he went downstairs to his private workspace. Caught up on some loose ends for work,
The prisoner had discovered that his phone couldn't make any calls.
And he was looking at the IV with terror on his face. Excellent. Response in the face of fear would be very informative.
As he stepped into the cell, he greeted Gaston cordially, and invited him to sit down.
"What is this place? Why am I here?!" demanded Gaston, though his voice shook.
"I ask the questions. You answer them," the man admonished threateningly.
Now to see which direction a cornered rat would run....
He decided to start with Morgan first. See what Gaston would spill.
"Tell me about the girl child," he began.
Gaston looked like he'd been stabbed. Must have hit a nerve about that feisty redhead.
"It was a...girl?" he whispered feebly.
What was that supposed to mean? Nonplussed, he remained silent, fixing Gaston with a questioning look.
The fight seemed to go out of Gaston. "Oh, god...it was an accident..!"
"Go on," he coaxed. He knew from her medical records, that the unfortunate girl child had been admitted while overdosed and miscarrying. Accompanying her and being questioned had been how Gaston had been detained, had his apartment searched, and then entered the criminal justice system.
But what was he made of? Would he betray his friends in hopes of sparing himself?
"And-?" he prompted.
"We were partying hard, and she came onto me just the once," he choked, "and I didn't know she was pregnant til Caleb told me!"
So THAT was what he was talking about: it was Gaston's kid. Even worse. He kept his face set.
"We're more interested in your associate Caleb. Any information you could offer as to his current whereabouts could be very helpful in getting you out of here..." he watched Gaston's face closely for signs of weakness, but saw only hardened resolve.
"You may as well kill me," said Gaston through clenched teeth, "Because I'm dead anyway and I won't cooperate!" His jaw set and he folded his arms in an all-too-familiar gesture.
Points for integrity.
There had been enough suffering. Time for the charade to end.
Gaston seemed to slump.
It was time to go to work.
*********************************************
Let's make Liberty and Justice For All a reality.
In which Caleb finds Gaston, and Gaston finds out who Sunglass Man is.
****************************************
Bat-Caleb saw Sunglasses leaving, waited a while to be sure, then transformed and tried vampiric entry on the front door of the shack. It unlocked! A drab interior with no one inside --but then he saw stairs leading down.
Industrial flooring and doors led into a posh modern...home? Facility? More stairs, a vault...he homed in on Gaston the best he could, opened a door into a narrow office filled with monitors, a really high-end PC, machines of unknown purpose --and a tinted window, with Gaston on the other side!
In one piece, and --Caleb chuckled to see it-- playing on his phone. Of course. Relieved, Caleb exited the room and found the angled door to the cell. Vampiric entry...and nothing happened! He grabbed the handle and drew back in horror! It was like touching a hot stove!
His keen hearing caught a sound.
Cursing, Caleb sped upstairs to intercept Sunglasses. "Mesmeratu..." Caleb breathed, focusing his energies.
What was happening?
It didn't work!
Fear knotted Caleb's insides. The man was laughing!
"I've had special training, Caleb!"
He knows my name? He couldn't believe Gaston would just have told everything about his friends. Did he torture him?
Hot rage replaced fear.
"I must say, Gaston has loyal friends. Come, I'll take you to him."
Caleb followed him downstairs, thinking fast.
They entered the narrow office, and the man sat down and opened the PC as if nothing were out of the ordinary.
"Why are you holding him? Who are you?" demanded Caleb hotly.
"I'm used to asking the questions. And you don't need to flex at me, Caleb. I know who you are, and you're no thug."
The man closed the PC. "He's been through a lot. I'll let him know you're here first. He doesn't need any more shocks to the system."
With a sense of unreality, Caleb watched through the darkened glass as the man entered Gaston's cell.
Gaston stood as the cell door opened and this time a blond man, same suit and glasses, stepped inside.
"Gaston, your ordeal is almost over!"
Confused, Gaston examined the man. Was he the same guy?
So this was it. He set himself. He wasn't going down without a fight!
"You've acquitted yourself well, under bad circumstances. I'm impressed."
The man shook his hand.
Caleb wasn't buying it. This was some kind of psychological experiment. Or manipulation. Get his guard down; good cop bad cop kinda thing.
"Caleb is here to see you."
Oh no. They got Caleb. Hope and courage he didn't know he still had, left.
The man left, and returned with a seething Caleb on his heels.
"Caleb, don't, it's a trap!" yelled Gaston, hoping Caleb could get out before--
Caleb turned on the man with vampiric speed.
But to Gaston's horror, it was ending almost as soon as it began.
"Cut that out before someone gets hurt. I told you I had special training!" the man said, out of breath but otherwise more fine than any human should have been.
He was removing his glasses.
Gaston stared. Fell weakly to his knees, the world spinning.
"Gordon?!" he gasped.
Let's make Liberty and Justice For All a reality.
In which Caleb, Gaston, and Gordon have a chat
******************************************
Gordon grasped Gaston's hand, to help him to his feet.
And Gaston came alive like a coiled spring, "YOU--!" And bum-rushed him, sending them both sprawling into the IV rack.
Pummeling everything he could reach with killing fury.
Gordon got him in a lock, subdued him, and sat him down while Gaston struggled furiously.
"Take it easy, bro! Let's go upstairs and talk!"
***********************************************
Still shaking from a combination of adrenaline, desperate vampiric thirst, and severe drug withdrawal, Gaston made it up the stairs only by the indignity of being half-carried by Gordon and Caleb. Caleb was silent, watchful, distrusting. Thinking.
"Here we are, this ought to fix both you gentlemen right up, for starters!" Gaston pulled bags of O negative from behind the bar, expertly mixed up a couple of Bloody Janes, and pushed them toward Caleb and Gaston, before mixing himself something.
Despite his rage, Gaston fell on his drink and downed it in a few gulps, slamming his empty back on the counter. His head was clearing.
So Perfect Gordon was back. The big brother he could never be as good as, the one he was supposed to BE more like, the one who joined the military and then never made contact again. HE was the kidnapper, the interrogator?
"I think I owe you some answers," said Gordon, clicking on some music and lighting the fire as he moved to the living room, drink in hand.
"When I joined the military, it was discovered that my...specific talents...could best be made use of in Covert Operations. So I disappeared into that world. But I always kept an ear out for you, bro. I knew what you were doing, and you seemed to be making a good start for yourself in San Myshuno. And I always meant to come visit, give you a way to contact me if you needed to, but things happened."
Gordon cleared his throat.
"But then suddenly I got wind of your arrest, for dealing, and realized I hadn't kept as much an eye on you as I should've. So I took some personal leave, infiltrated the local police department, and posing as visiting brass, got access to you. With help from some people who owed me a few favors, I drugged you and transported you to safety here, and wiped your record."
"WHY?!" Gaston mixed his own drink this time.
"Because my little bro was in over his head, that's why. You were headed for the Grim Reaper with the stuff you were doing as well as dealing. I couldn't let you go down like that."
"But why hold me, terrorize me, interrogate me?"
Gordon sighed. "Because I had to know what kind of person you'd become. Were you still the Gaston I knew, inside, or had you turned into the kind of ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ that can't be saved?"
"And what if I were, huh? What if I were exactly just that kind of ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ๐ธ?"
Gordon's face darkened. "That would have been most unfortunate, for us both."
Caleb hissed softly between his teeth.
"So what happens now?" Gaston inquired warily.
"Now that your record's clean, we get YOU clean. And then we see. But since you lost both your job and your apartment after your arrest, unless you have a better idea, I would like you to stay here, with me. As my guest, and as my brother." He clapped Gaston in a hearty handshake.
:
BZZZT! "Gotcha!" Gaston chortled.
"C'mon, you know that was funny...!" Gordon coaxed, sniggering.
Some things never changed. Gaston couldn't hide the smile curling up the corner of his mouth.
"Doofgah!" he punched Gordon's arm.
And somehow it was like they were kids again.
.
Let's make Liberty and Justice For All a reality.
That seems like something that a guy in covert operations could do, for sure. But why is he so strong against vampires?
Gallery ID is ARIANNANEAL
Let's make Liberty and Justice For All a reality.
Let's make Liberty and Justice For All a reality.