GABE/WILLIAM MY HEAD WTF
Okay so I've like never really been as into Cobra and TAI fanfic as I am with Panic and the Horrors, even though I love the bands and love reading about them as secondary pairings or in drabbles. But last night I had this pretty awesome Gabe/William dream and I thought I should share with you!
Right so Gabe and William are staff in this well off household in Victorian times, Gabe is part of the serving staff (only a few people below the butler) and William is one of the cleaning crew. And they met up in the pantry and kitchen and servants’ quarters, and they’re friends… sort of. Gabe is higher ranking than William, but because they’re in different crews (Gabe waits upon the Masters of the house whereas William is a behind the scenes sort) it never comes between their friendship.
And when they have a few moments to spare together they’ll gossip about the other staff or the Masters and their Guests. (William hears all these things in the rooms when he’s cleaning and Gabe hears all the nasty gossip while he’s waiting on the tables)
They became friends when they found out that they both originally came from the same small town, and they talk about how things had change since Gabe left about 5 years before William did. Gabe’s family were very poor so he went find work in the next town over and ended up in this manor house. And William’s family were struck down by tuberculosis so the family business shut down and he had to find new work or he’d be sent away (details are pretty short here, he’d possibly end up in the mines or on the railways) and this house was the only place that would hire someone like him. (He’s a servant so no one would care about his appearance so long as he stayed hidden from view like he’s supposed to)
The kitchen staff all like Gabe as he’s kind and respectful to them, and he always lightens the darkest mood. The Butler (head of the ‘seen’ staff) is a nasty piece of work but he mostly leaves his underlings alone and even when he does take them to task for being too slow or too jolly Gabe cheers them up again with a quick joke at the Butler’s expense.
One time William is outside chatting with the washerwomen who like him because he’s this sweet small town lad with no family, when he’s called up to clean one of the many bathrooms because the boy tending the visitor had spilled the bath water. So William goes to clean up and finds himself half watching the Guest get changed. And starts wondering about certain things for the first time in years. He’s naturally horrified and has a massive internal crisis over his long oppressed sexuality.
Gabe confronts him over his strange behaviour in the pantry (right next to the cheeses) and of course William isn’t just going to blab about what has been on his mind, but eventually Gabe wheedles it out of him.
“Gabriel have you ever, I know it is supposed to be sin, but have you ever caught yourself wondering about other men?” And Gabe is really stunned because hey! He thought he was the only one! But he gets so lost in his own thoughts he doesn’t notice William leaving until the door shuts behind him, so he rushes out to explain himself to William, but one of the other servants stops him because Gabe is needed up stairs to serve some afternoon tea. So he straightens out his coat (with long tails and everything) picks up his tray and sails past to wait upon his Master. (hey he’s a professional)
William avoids Gabe for a few days (at first he doesn’t notice, because they’re always so busy) but once he realises it he goes to find the Lady’s Chambermaid; Greta (who’s the head of all staff I think?) to ask if she’s seen William.
She’s naturally suspicious because William’s lower ranking than Gabe, but Gabe explains that his Master requested someone to go and clean up this mess in the fourth drawing room and William’s the only member of the cleaning staff who’s name he knows, so Greta tells him where William is and then shoos him away so she can get on with her own work.
William’s in the kitchen helping the cook, Alex, by cleaning up his dishes when Gabe finds him, and they leave to go and discuss important matters, and Gabe explains his reaction and William is terribly embarrassed that he didn’t let Gabe explain in the first places, and they are all slightly awkward over this, both of them muttering apologies until Gabe is called upstairs again.
And that was all there was! It was awesome and very wtfish, my head it is on crack I do not know about.
Right so Gabe and William are staff in this well off household in Victorian times, Gabe is part of the serving staff (only a few people below the butler) and William is one of the cleaning crew. And they met up in the pantry and kitchen and servants’ quarters, and they’re friends… sort of. Gabe is higher ranking than William, but because they’re in different crews (Gabe waits upon the Masters of the house whereas William is a behind the scenes sort) it never comes between their friendship.
And when they have a few moments to spare together they’ll gossip about the other staff or the Masters and their Guests. (William hears all these things in the rooms when he’s cleaning and Gabe hears all the nasty gossip while he’s waiting on the tables)
They became friends when they found out that they both originally came from the same small town, and they talk about how things had change since Gabe left about 5 years before William did. Gabe’s family were very poor so he went find work in the next town over and ended up in this manor house. And William’s family were struck down by tuberculosis so the family business shut down and he had to find new work or he’d be sent away (details are pretty short here, he’d possibly end up in the mines or on the railways) and this house was the only place that would hire someone like him. (He’s a servant so no one would care about his appearance so long as he stayed hidden from view like he’s supposed to)
The kitchen staff all like Gabe as he’s kind and respectful to them, and he always lightens the darkest mood. The Butler (head of the ‘seen’ staff) is a nasty piece of work but he mostly leaves his underlings alone and even when he does take them to task for being too slow or too jolly Gabe cheers them up again with a quick joke at the Butler’s expense.
One time William is outside chatting with the washerwomen who like him because he’s this sweet small town lad with no family, when he’s called up to clean one of the many bathrooms because the boy tending the visitor had spilled the bath water. So William goes to clean up and finds himself half watching the Guest get changed. And starts wondering about certain things for the first time in years. He’s naturally horrified and has a massive internal crisis over his long oppressed sexuality.
Gabe confronts him over his strange behaviour in the pantry (right next to the cheeses) and of course William isn’t just going to blab about what has been on his mind, but eventually Gabe wheedles it out of him.
“Gabriel have you ever, I know it is supposed to be sin, but have you ever caught yourself wondering about other men?” And Gabe is really stunned because hey! He thought he was the only one! But he gets so lost in his own thoughts he doesn’t notice William leaving until the door shuts behind him, so he rushes out to explain himself to William, but one of the other servants stops him because Gabe is needed up stairs to serve some afternoon tea. So he straightens out his coat (with long tails and everything) picks up his tray and sails past to wait upon his Master. (hey he’s a professional)
William avoids Gabe for a few days (at first he doesn’t notice, because they’re always so busy) but once he realises it he goes to find the Lady’s Chambermaid; Greta (who’s the head of all staff I think?) to ask if she’s seen William.
She’s naturally suspicious because William’s lower ranking than Gabe, but Gabe explains that his Master requested someone to go and clean up this mess in the fourth drawing room and William’s the only member of the cleaning staff who’s name he knows, so Greta tells him where William is and then shoos him away so she can get on with her own work.
William’s in the kitchen helping the cook, Alex, by cleaning up his dishes when Gabe finds him, and they leave to go and discuss important matters, and Gabe explains his reaction and William is terribly embarrassed that he didn’t let Gabe explain in the first places, and they are all slightly awkward over this, both of them muttering apologies until Gabe is called upstairs again.
And that was all there was! It was awesome and very wtfish, my head it is on crack I do not know about.