Fic: Thawing the Gap 4/4 *complete*
Jul. 19th, 2009 08:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elvenavariTitle: Thawing the Gap
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
avari_maethor
Summary: Vicki gets a feeling that something is wrong in the park. She and Celluci check it out and find a young boy asleep on a bench. Vicki can’t leave this boy out in the freezing cold so she takes him home.
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Mention of prostitution.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Tanya Huff, Penguin Group publishers and TV rights belong to Insight Film Studios. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author’s Note: There are many direct quotes from “Blood Price” in this chapter. I have tried to fit them in with my idea as much as possible.
Thawing the Gap
Chapter 4
“So what’s so amazing that you can do for me that’s gonna cost me five hundred?” The blonde, ‘John’, questioned as he lay back on his couch with a plate of grapes balanced on his stomach as he watched the boy standing in the middle of his living room. He had to admit, the boy wasn’t that interesting looking, and he appeared quite dirty in fact. The boy shifted on his feet for a moment before going to his knees and crawling over to the blonde. The other raised a blonde eyebrow at the motion but his eyes quickly darkened as the boy took the fingers that were holding one of the grapes into his mouth and started sucking on them. The grape was lost somewhere in that talented mouth but the blonde didn’t care about that now. Releasing the fingers the boy met his eyes and smirked.
“I got a wicked tongue,” Tony assured him.
---
Tony whistled as he left the apartment building and another satisfied costumer. He quickly ran his fingers over the folded five hundred dollars he had gotten from this john and thought of the double cheeseburger he was going to get with a few dollars of it. After he ate he would take the rest of the money back to his pimp and then head to Yonge and Bloor to find his next client.
“Tony.”
Tony froze at the sound of his pimp’s voice. Slowly he turned and faced the taller man. “Yo Blake.”
Blake stepped forward and held out his hand. “Give me the money.”
“I was gonna bring it to ya,” Tony said as he got the bills out of his pocket and handed him $400. Blake counted the bills and then raised an eyebrow at Tony.
“There’s only $400 here. I thought this guy was gonna give ya $500?”
Tony blanked as his jaw dropped open. “Man! I haven’t eaten in days, you say’n I can’t keep the hundred to get something to eat?!”
“You owe me money Tony. You can eat after you get it paid back.”
“But-” Tony’s protest was cut off as he was thrown up against the rough brick of the apartment building.
“No buts, now give me my money,” Blake growled. Tony whimpered, his stomach voicing its own protest as well, as he dug into his pocket for the other $100 bill. Blake dropped him once the bill was in his hand; he smiled a little as he pocketed the money. “Nice doing business with you Tony, next time maybe you won’t use unless you have the money to pay for it.”
Blake walked away laughing as Tony sat on the sidewalk and brought his knees up to his chest. Wrapping his arms around his bent legs and hiding his face Tony tried to fight back tears. He just wanted a damn cheeseburger, was that to much to ask?
After a few moments he pulled himself together and stood, leaning against the apartment building until the dizziness from hunger passed. He just had to find one more john tonight and he could eat. His stomach rumbled and Tony pressed his hand into it to make it stop.
“Sorry stomach, gotta put off feeding you again,” Tony sighed as he started towards Yonge and Bloor.
---
Tony had made it halfway to his destination when he saw a familiar figure in a phone booth. A smile broke out on his face as he approached. He hadn’t seen Vicki or Celluci in a couple of months. It would be nice to catch up for a few minutes…and maybe he could get a burger out of Vicki.
“Yo Victory!”
Vicki turned slowly in the open phone booth, her heart doing a pretty fair impersonation of a jackhammer.
Tony grinned. “My, but we’re jumpy. I thought I heard you didn’t work nights no more.”
“Any more,” Vicki corrected absently, while her heart slowed to a more normal rhythm. “And do I look like I’m working?”
“You always look like you’re working.”
Vicki sighed and checked him out. Physically he didn’t look good. The patina of dirt he wore told her he’d been sleeping rough, and his face had the pinched look that said meals had been infrequent as of late. “You don’t look so great.”
“Things have been better,” he admitted. “Could use a burger and some fries.”
“Why not.” Henry’s answering machine insisted he still wasn’t available. “You can tell me what you’ve been doing lately.”
He rolled his eyes. “Do I look like I’m crazy?”
---
Vicki and Tony slid into an empty booth of a small diner. A waitress soon appeared and gave them both a menu. “What can I get you two to drink?” She asked. Tony glanced at Vicki.
“Get whatever you want,” she told him. Tony looked back at the waitress.
“Extra large coke please.” The waitress nodded and looked at Vicki.
“And for you?”
“Regular diet coke,” Vicki answered.
“Okay I’ll get these and then come back for your orders,” she said and walked off.
“So what are you going to get Tony?” Vicki questioned. Tony bit his bottom lip.
“You sure I can get anything?” He asked.
“Yes, but remember, after not eating for awhile you shouldn’t gorge yourself.”
“Right, I’ll get a cheeseburger and fries, maybe some dessert.” Vicki nodded with a smile.
The waitress returned with their drinks. “Here we are,” she said sitting the glasses down in front of them. “Have you decided?”
“I’ll have a cheeseburger and fries,” Tony told her.
“Just plain?”
“Yup.”
“Yes,” Vicki mumbled.
“What dear?”
“Oh nothing, I’ll just have a hamburger, extra pickles.” The waitress nodded writing down their orders.
“Alright, I’ll have this right out.”
“So what you been up to Victory?” Tony questioned before taking a sip of his coke. Vicki blanked for a moment, she couldn’t tell him about Henry.
“Just a few cases, nothing big,” she finally answered. Tony nodded.
“Heard anything about that vampire?”
“What have you heard?” She demanded. Tony looked at her surprised. “Sorry.”
“Not much, or rather not much that’s believable. Some of the guys been want’n to say that they got picked up by the thing but I doubt, if it’s as bad as they say, that it would’ve left them with a drop,” Tony explained. “Others say it’s related to the college, not sure how though.”
Vicki let out a sigh of relief. “Well whatever happens if you come across a guy you have a bad feeling about…”
“Run away,” Tony finished. “You’ve told me before.”
“I know I have, I just worry about you Tony.” Tony opened his mouth to reply but stopped as the waitress brought their food.
“Yay! Food!” He exclaimed. Vicki laughed and shook her head. Even though he had had it rough Tony was still just a kid. They ate in pretty much silence, since Tony had learned that Vicki didn’t like it when you talked with your mouth full and before Vicki paid she added a strawberry sundae to the bill for him.
“Where will you be tonight?” She asked as she slid out of the booth.
“Yonge and Bloor,” Tony answered after swallowing a spoonful of ice cream.
“You never get a night off do you?”
“Not when I need money…put it back, I’m not taking it from you.”
“But Tony…”
“Nope, listen to me Victory.”
Vicki sighed, “Alright, but if you need me you know where to find me.”
Tony nodded. “See ya Victory.”
“Bye Tony.” With that she left the diner.
---
Tony took his time leaving the diner. Now that his stomach was full, at least for the next few hours, he didn’t have to rush to get his next john. Plus the diner offered free refills so he enjoyed two of those, used the bathroom and then headed out. All in all, he wasted twenty minutes.
---
“Shit, shit, shit!” It wasn’t very creative; she patted him down and pulled his keys from his pants’ pocket-if she was to save Henry’s life she had no more time to waste on picking locks. He needs more blood. I have to find Tony.
---
Tony whistled as he took his time getting to his corner. At Church Street he went into an alley to throw away the cup that the waitress at the diner had been so nice to give him. An old dog sniffing the garbage growled at him but Tony just kneeled down and took the lid off the plastic cup.
“Here boy, have something to drink,” he said pouring what was left of the coke into a trash can lid. Tossing the cup away he stood and backed away. The dog watched him but then came forward and started to drink, tail wagging. Tony smiled. “Good boy.”
Turning he left the alley just in time to see Vicki crash into a mail box. Tony winced, that had to have hurt. Vicki’s groan that followed confirmed that. Whatever was wrong she had that stubborn look on her face and she wasn’t going to give up until she had what she wanted.
---
She had to get to Yonge and Bloor but her body was not cooperating. The dizziness grew worse instead of better and she careened from one solid object to another, stubbornly refusing to surrender to it. By Church Street, surrender became a moot point.
“Yo Victory.”
Strong hands grabbed her as she fell and she clutched at Tony’s jean jacket until the sidewalk stopped threatening to rise up and smack her in the face.
“You okay, Victory? You look like shit.”
She pushed away from him, changing her grip from his jacket to his arm. How the hell am I supposed to put this? “Tony, I need your help.”
Tony studied her face for a moment, pale eyes narrowed. “Someone been beating on you?”
Vicki shook her head and wished she hadn’t. “No, that’s not it. I…”
“You been doing drugs?”
“Of course not!” The involuntary indignation drew her up straighter.
“Then what the fuck happened to you? Twenty minutes ago you were fine.”
She squinted down at him, the glare from the street light adding to her difficulty in focusing. He looked more angry than concerned. “I’ll explain on the way.”
“Who says I’m going anywhere?”
“Tony, please…”
The moment he took to make up his mind was the longest she’d known for a long time.
“Well, I guess I don’t got anything better to do.” He let her drag him forward. “But the explanation better be good.”
He would have never guessed just how good the explanation would be.
Previous chapters: Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3
Author:
avari_maethorSummary: Vicki gets a feeling that something is wrong in the park. She and Celluci check it out and find a young boy asleep on a bench. Vicki can’t leave this boy out in the freezing cold so she takes him home.
Rating: PG-13
Warning: Mention of prostitution.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Tanya Huff, Penguin Group publishers and TV rights belong to Insight Film Studios. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author’s Note: There are many direct quotes from “Blood Price” in this chapter. I have tried to fit them in with my idea as much as possible.
Chapter 4
“So what’s so amazing that you can do for me that’s gonna cost me five hundred?” The blonde, ‘John’, questioned as he lay back on his couch with a plate of grapes balanced on his stomach as he watched the boy standing in the middle of his living room. He had to admit, the boy wasn’t that interesting looking, and he appeared quite dirty in fact. The boy shifted on his feet for a moment before going to his knees and crawling over to the blonde. The other raised a blonde eyebrow at the motion but his eyes quickly darkened as the boy took the fingers that were holding one of the grapes into his mouth and started sucking on them. The grape was lost somewhere in that talented mouth but the blonde didn’t care about that now. Releasing the fingers the boy met his eyes and smirked.
“I got a wicked tongue,” Tony assured him.
Tony whistled as he left the apartment building and another satisfied costumer. He quickly ran his fingers over the folded five hundred dollars he had gotten from this john and thought of the double cheeseburger he was going to get with a few dollars of it. After he ate he would take the rest of the money back to his pimp and then head to Yonge and Bloor to find his next client.
“Tony.”
Tony froze at the sound of his pimp’s voice. Slowly he turned and faced the taller man. “Yo Blake.”
Blake stepped forward and held out his hand. “Give me the money.”
“I was gonna bring it to ya,” Tony said as he got the bills out of his pocket and handed him $400. Blake counted the bills and then raised an eyebrow at Tony.
“There’s only $400 here. I thought this guy was gonna give ya $500?”
Tony blanked as his jaw dropped open. “Man! I haven’t eaten in days, you say’n I can’t keep the hundred to get something to eat?!”
“You owe me money Tony. You can eat after you get it paid back.”
“But-” Tony’s protest was cut off as he was thrown up against the rough brick of the apartment building.
“No buts, now give me my money,” Blake growled. Tony whimpered, his stomach voicing its own protest as well, as he dug into his pocket for the other $100 bill. Blake dropped him once the bill was in his hand; he smiled a little as he pocketed the money. “Nice doing business with you Tony, next time maybe you won’t use unless you have the money to pay for it.”
Blake walked away laughing as Tony sat on the sidewalk and brought his knees up to his chest. Wrapping his arms around his bent legs and hiding his face Tony tried to fight back tears. He just wanted a damn cheeseburger, was that to much to ask?
After a few moments he pulled himself together and stood, leaning against the apartment building until the dizziness from hunger passed. He just had to find one more john tonight and he could eat. His stomach rumbled and Tony pressed his hand into it to make it stop.
“Sorry stomach, gotta put off feeding you again,” Tony sighed as he started towards Yonge and Bloor.
Tony had made it halfway to his destination when he saw a familiar figure in a phone booth. A smile broke out on his face as he approached. He hadn’t seen Vicki or Celluci in a couple of months. It would be nice to catch up for a few minutes…and maybe he could get a burger out of Vicki.
“Yo Victory!”
Vicki turned slowly in the open phone booth, her heart doing a pretty fair impersonation of a jackhammer.
Tony grinned. “My, but we’re jumpy. I thought I heard you didn’t work nights no more.”
“Any more,” Vicki corrected absently, while her heart slowed to a more normal rhythm. “And do I look like I’m working?”
“You always look like you’re working.”
Vicki sighed and checked him out. Physically he didn’t look good. The patina of dirt he wore told her he’d been sleeping rough, and his face had the pinched look that said meals had been infrequent as of late. “You don’t look so great.”
“Things have been better,” he admitted. “Could use a burger and some fries.”
“Why not.” Henry’s answering machine insisted he still wasn’t available. “You can tell me what you’ve been doing lately.”
He rolled his eyes. “Do I look like I’m crazy?”
Vicki and Tony slid into an empty booth of a small diner. A waitress soon appeared and gave them both a menu. “What can I get you two to drink?” She asked. Tony glanced at Vicki.
“Get whatever you want,” she told him. Tony looked back at the waitress.
“Extra large coke please.” The waitress nodded and looked at Vicki.
“And for you?”
“Regular diet coke,” Vicki answered.
“Okay I’ll get these and then come back for your orders,” she said and walked off.
“So what are you going to get Tony?” Vicki questioned. Tony bit his bottom lip.
“You sure I can get anything?” He asked.
“Yes, but remember, after not eating for awhile you shouldn’t gorge yourself.”
“Right, I’ll get a cheeseburger and fries, maybe some dessert.” Vicki nodded with a smile.
The waitress returned with their drinks. “Here we are,” she said sitting the glasses down in front of them. “Have you decided?”
“I’ll have a cheeseburger and fries,” Tony told her.
“Just plain?”
“Yup.”
“Yes,” Vicki mumbled.
“What dear?”
“Oh nothing, I’ll just have a hamburger, extra pickles.” The waitress nodded writing down their orders.
“Alright, I’ll have this right out.”
“So what you been up to Victory?” Tony questioned before taking a sip of his coke. Vicki blanked for a moment, she couldn’t tell him about Henry.
“Just a few cases, nothing big,” she finally answered. Tony nodded.
“Heard anything about that vampire?”
“What have you heard?” She demanded. Tony looked at her surprised. “Sorry.”
“Not much, or rather not much that’s believable. Some of the guys been want’n to say that they got picked up by the thing but I doubt, if it’s as bad as they say, that it would’ve left them with a drop,” Tony explained. “Others say it’s related to the college, not sure how though.”
Vicki let out a sigh of relief. “Well whatever happens if you come across a guy you have a bad feeling about…”
“Run away,” Tony finished. “You’ve told me before.”
“I know I have, I just worry about you Tony.” Tony opened his mouth to reply but stopped as the waitress brought their food.
“Yay! Food!” He exclaimed. Vicki laughed and shook her head. Even though he had had it rough Tony was still just a kid. They ate in pretty much silence, since Tony had learned that Vicki didn’t like it when you talked with your mouth full and before Vicki paid she added a strawberry sundae to the bill for him.
“Where will you be tonight?” She asked as she slid out of the booth.
“Yonge and Bloor,” Tony answered after swallowing a spoonful of ice cream.
“You never get a night off do you?”
“Not when I need money…put it back, I’m not taking it from you.”
“But Tony…”
“Nope, listen to me Victory.”
Vicki sighed, “Alright, but if you need me you know where to find me.”
Tony nodded. “See ya Victory.”
“Bye Tony.” With that she left the diner.
Tony took his time leaving the diner. Now that his stomach was full, at least for the next few hours, he didn’t have to rush to get his next john. Plus the diner offered free refills so he enjoyed two of those, used the bathroom and then headed out. All in all, he wasted twenty minutes.
“Shit, shit, shit!” It wasn’t very creative; she patted him down and pulled his keys from his pants’ pocket-if she was to save Henry’s life she had no more time to waste on picking locks. He needs more blood. I have to find Tony.
Tony whistled as he took his time getting to his corner. At Church Street he went into an alley to throw away the cup that the waitress at the diner had been so nice to give him. An old dog sniffing the garbage growled at him but Tony just kneeled down and took the lid off the plastic cup.
“Here boy, have something to drink,” he said pouring what was left of the coke into a trash can lid. Tossing the cup away he stood and backed away. The dog watched him but then came forward and started to drink, tail wagging. Tony smiled. “Good boy.”
Turning he left the alley just in time to see Vicki crash into a mail box. Tony winced, that had to have hurt. Vicki’s groan that followed confirmed that. Whatever was wrong she had that stubborn look on her face and she wasn’t going to give up until she had what she wanted.
She had to get to Yonge and Bloor but her body was not cooperating. The dizziness grew worse instead of better and she careened from one solid object to another, stubbornly refusing to surrender to it. By Church Street, surrender became a moot point.
“Yo Victory.”
Strong hands grabbed her as she fell and she clutched at Tony’s jean jacket until the sidewalk stopped threatening to rise up and smack her in the face.
“You okay, Victory? You look like shit.”
She pushed away from him, changing her grip from his jacket to his arm. How the hell am I supposed to put this? “Tony, I need your help.”
Tony studied her face for a moment, pale eyes narrowed. “Someone been beating on you?”
Vicki shook her head and wished she hadn’t. “No, that’s not it. I…”
“You been doing drugs?”
“Of course not!” The involuntary indignation drew her up straighter.
“Then what the fuck happened to you? Twenty minutes ago you were fine.”
She squinted down at him, the glare from the street light adding to her difficulty in focusing. He looked more angry than concerned. “I’ll explain on the way.”
“Who says I’m going anywhere?”
“Tony, please…”
The moment he took to make up his mind was the longest she’d known for a long time.
“Well, I guess I don’t got anything better to do.” He let her drag him forward. “But the explanation better be good.”
He would have never guessed just how good the explanation would be.
Previous chapters: Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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Date: 2009-07-20 08:56 am (UTC)Thank you for adding to the unfortunately small amount of good Tony!fic on the internets. I was so sad that he wasn't even mentioned in the TV show. He's such an awesome character.
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Date: 2009-07-20 03:01 pm (UTC)I'm glad you enjoyed my fic, I hope to have some others in the future. You aren't the only one who was sad about the lack of him in the TV show.
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Date: 2009-07-22 07:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-23 02:25 am (UTC)Thanks for the review!
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Date: 2010-02-25 07:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-25 02:39 pm (UTC)