fic: Precosia Comes
Title: Precosia Comes
Author:ferretbaby
Pairing: Danny/Sylar
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Danny and Sylar meet on a trip to Vegas. Sylar falls in love and Danny gets beat up by a girl.
Warnings: The end of the Heroes, and Blind Dating. There's nothing too graphic just making out and mentions of lap dances.
Disclaimer: I don't own either Heroes or Blind Dating or their characters. This was suppose to be a 'short' story but came out more around 10,000+ words so be prepared. Also I edited it myself so you've been warned.
Precosia Comes
Part I
“Now this is what I’m talking about,” Matt said, taking in the neon lights and half naked glittering bodies.
“We’re here to do a job, not play around,” Sylar replied back. Ignoring the older man’s little ‘happy dance’ as they stepped into the strip club. Smoke and music flooded the air around them, giving an other worldly purple-like atmosphere. Glass walls and hidden booths decorated the inside, making a kaleidoscope of shadows and light. Women of various undress twirled about the stage, while scantily clad waitresses flirted with the patrons sitting about the tables.
It really wasn’t a place where a former serial killer and a former police man would choose to hang out at, especially together. But they had a job to do, a rash of unexplained killings had been happening in Las Vegas for the last 3 months and all their intel led to this club.
The truth was they had little to go on about their suspect. All their information came from the victims, and every last one of them had last been seen here.
Peter had sent them both here in the hopes that Sylar and Parkman would be able to catch them before the next victim was killed. The pattern showed the next attack would be tonight.
“Can I get you boys seated?” A simpering voice with a fake country accent asked from around Sylar’s elbow. The waitress was hardly 5 feet with stiletto heals on, her small body compacted into a tight outfit of chaps and a jewel encrusted bra.
“Hey maybe we should split up? That way we have more eyes around the place.” Matt quickly said, he obviously hoped to enjoy the night not sitting next to his least favorite person.
“Fine,” Sylar said. “I’ll have a booth, my friend here would like a seat by the stage.”
“Certainly,” The waitress said, bouncing away expecting them to follow. After seating Sylar in a back corner booth, she led a joyous Parkman to a seat right off the stage. A feathered dancer already slinking on her hands and knees towards him.
The waitress returned to order his drink, asking if he planned any ‘other’ entertainment for the night which he gave a firm negative once seeing the glint in her eyes. He was serious about his assignment, he wasn’t here on vacation. If there was anybody who would know the mind of a killer it would be Sylar and he had every intention of catching them tonight.
Looking around the club he took in the patrons. All victims so far had been males of various ages, no discrimination about class or race. The only thing linking them besides their last destination was that all 13 had been relatively attractive. Given it was a Saturday the place was packed with men. It looked like there was a frat group across the room -close to Parkman, a bachelor’s party off to the left by the bar, and several smaller groups of men scattered throughout the place. No one was alone or vulnerable to the lure of a killer.
Sylar figured he would have to wait it out until people got drunker and started going off on their own to seek their pleasures.
When the waitress returned with his drink, he ignored her to study the dancers.
***
Danny was mortified by his brother.
“Woo-hoo! Over here baby, drop it like it’s hot!”
Danny would have slammed his head against the table if he wasn’t sure he’d hit one of the many empty bottles littering their table. Jay and a couple of his close friends were in Las Vegas for the next few days on his bachelor’s party. Cayla, Jay’s fiancé, had given him permission to spend the weekend before the wedding living out every guy’s fantasy vacation and Danny had promised her he’d keep an eye on his best friend to make sure he didn’t get into trouble. He just hadn’t counted on his brother being the cause.
Larry had been the one to pick the destination tonight, stating he’d heard from some of the guys at his poker table last night state that ‘Honey Bee’s’ was the strip club to go to in Vegas. Larry had even offered to pay for the first round, and since then it’d been non-stop alcohol.
“Hey handsome, would you like a dance?” Overly sweet perfume nearly makes Danny gag when another dancer slips into his lap. All night he’d been turning down body shots and free lap dances, determined to keep tabs on Jay. The guy could hardly hold his head up at this point and kept mumbling about passing out.
“No thanks, I appreciate the offer but it’s kind of wasted on me.” He indicated his eyes, hoping she’d get the point. After the 5th girl to offer he found that being blunt about his blindness startled them enough they’d leave.
“Oh sugar!” She gasps, throwing her arms around Danny neck, “I can work around that. I have a room out back that we can have some privacy so I can ‘guide’ you through it.”
So this one was persistent or word had already gotten around about him being blind. “Err, no thanks maybe later?” He was grasping at straws. He could hear Larry behind them hooting for Jay to drink a line of jello shots.
“Okay, maybe later. Ask the bartender for Porsche.” She gives Danny’s lap one last wiggle before she slipped away. Danny turned around to yell at Larry.
“Aww, what’s wrong baby brother. You haven’t gotten any since Leeza broke up with you, why didn’t you take the last one up on her offer, she was smokin’.” Larry ended his sentence with a belch.
Danny wasn’t about to let his brother in on the secret that he hadn’t gotten any even with Leeza. His brother was happy in the notion that his brother was no longer a virgin and Danny wasn’t about to deprive him of that mindset.
Suddenly the music decreased and the announcer yelled through the speakers, “AND NOW LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, HIDE ALL YOUR HONEY AND PULL OUT ALL YOUR MONEY- FOR THE QUEEN BEE!” A deafening holler went up from the people around him. Cheesy porn music came on and Danny had to duck as Larry made a dive for the stage, giving a loud, lewd wolf whistle.
Danny moved towards the back of their table as the others moved closer to the stage. They all seemed frantic to get a glimpse of the woman on stage so he guessed she was a really, really good dancer.
It was odd how crazy everyone was to see this ‘queen bee’ but then again the majority were already pretty drunk.
Since it was only a dance, Danny figured it was safe enough to make a break for the bathroom (alone, since all the other guys were occupied, and Jay was unlikely to climb on stage to join her). He pulled out his cane from where it was neatly folded in his back pocket when he stood up.
He hoped he wasn’t obstructing anyone’s view as he slightly stumbled to where he knew the bar was, asking the bartender for directions to the restroom.
***
Sylar blinked out of the trance when a vision of gold snagged his attention. He was startled to find his wallet in his hand and a couple of bills clutched in the other. The waitress was giving him an expectant look but didn’t move to take the money from him.
What the hell had just happened?
He looked around him briefly, ignoring the silvery, slippery woman on stage dancing and trying to find the object that had grabbed his attention. Several of the men around him were also blinking in confusion, wallets in hand but the rest closer to the stage and on the other side of the bar were handing/throwing money at the girls around them. It was then that he spotted the young man with the cane, walking towards the john. His dark blond hair catching the reflecting light making it gleam gold.
He quickly stuffed his wallet and money into his pocket, the waitress giving him a small glare, before hopping up and heading to the men’s.
He sent a mental yell at Parkman to stop watching the woman on stage and keep up with the job.
Other men were giving the bathroom serious contemplation as he passed and Sylar couldn’t help the sneer he gave them in warning. Something about this guy pulled at his gut, he was certain the guy was special- as well as the dancer on the stage- but he wasn’t sure if either could be his suspect. Confronting the guy in private might give him clues.
Inside, he quietly locked the door behind him. The other man was in a stall, using the facilities. Sylar figured he would act natural, using a urinal quickly. He finished before the other man, walking over to wash his hands he was soon joined by the young man. He seemed to be having trouble finding the soap dispenser.
“Over here.” Sylar tapped it, hoping it made enough noise for the blind man to hear over the booming music from outside.
“Ah, thank you.” He went about washing his hands, ignoring that Sylar seemed to be taking his time washing his own.
“So, nice club. You come here often?” Sylar asked.
“What? Oh, no. I’m only here with a group of my friends for the weekend.” Danny said, thanking Sylar for the towel he handed him. “They’re the really rowdy group by the bar. I hope they aren’t disturbing you or something, I can ask them to settle down.”
Well that ruled him out. The guy wasn’t lying and he hadn’t had the opportunity to perform the other 12 killings. But there still was the matter of the special ability. Suresh and Claire believed it was in their best interest to make contact with anybody like them that they met with while on jobs.
“No it’s fine. I do have a question though if you don’t mind me being so blunt, but how does a blind man find himself in a strip joint? Wouldn’t the purpose be mute?”
The other man blinked at him for a minute, his pretty blue eyes nearly dilated. “Err, I was more dragged along on a bachelor party. I assume I’m the DD since no one else volunteered.” He gave a deprecating chuckle and Sylar found himself startlingly attracted to the young man. He had classically beautiful features.
“Gabriel Gray.” Sylar blurted out, surprising himself with giving out his real name.
“Daniel Valdessecchi, but I go by Danny.” He moved his cane to the other hand so he could hold his out to shake Sylar’s. Sylar’s hand practically engulfed Danny’s and he noticed the other man’s body give a shudder.
Both were startled out of the moment when someone outside pounded on the door.
“Is the door locked?” Danny asked, dropping Sylar’s hand.
“Yeah, sorry I thought I was alone in here.” Sylar watched Danny’s face flush. “Not like that. I just didn’t want some drunk falling all over me while I was taking a piss.”
Danny laughed, while Sylar unlocked the door to a line of men waiting outside. All were eyeing Danny with hopeful looks on their faces but once they got a look at Sylar rushed pass into empty stalls.
He thought it was hilarious that Danny didn’t notice the attention.
“Hey, you mind if I sit with your party, mine seemed to have left me for one of the girls?” Sylar had to find a way to stick with the guy, maybe through him he’d find his suspect. Danny by far was the most attractive guy in the club that he’d seen.
Danny beamed a smile at him, accidently hitting a waitress with his cane. “Oops. Sure, I could use the company. Most of mine are too drunk to hold a conversation right now.”
Sylar wasn’t about to mention that most people didn’t come to strip clubs to hold conversations.
Thankfully, the queen bee had long finished her dance number and retreated behind the ruby curtain, some of the patrons were looking at their wallets in bewilderment. The majority didn’t seem to care.
He sent a quick mental message to Parkman that he’d identified the next probable victim but to keep an eye out for suspicious behavior. Parkman replied back that the dancer was pretty suspicious and he was going to see if he could get an audience with her.
Sylar wasn’t sure if he was being serious or not.
“Brother! Where have you been!?” A belligerent drunk yelled across the table from where Danny sat down, Sylar taking the empty seat beside him. There was a young black man at the head of the table who looked to have passed out. “What’s this? You brought back a guy? Danny I thought I told you to only bring back girls… or beer… or tequila. We accept tequila.”
“Gabriel, my brother Larry- the guy who will no doubt get us kick out of here.” Danny introduced, ignoring his brother who stumbled their way.
“Dan-Danny! Brother, hombre, mi amigo. I warned you about those gay dudes.”
“Oh my God, shut up Larry! He’s not gay. And when did you speak Spanish?” Danny asked incredulously, his face flushing in mortification.
“I’m serious here little brother. I have to warn you of the ass raping, mom told me not to let you wonder off on your own and with you just de-virgin-tized I have to warn you about going off and experimenting. While sticking your dick in any ol’ hole sounds like fun I don’t recommend sticking it in another dudes.” Larry draped himself over his brother’s shoulder.
“I can’t believe you mentioned mom and ass raping in the same sentence. I beg you to stop talking.” Sylar enjoyed watching Danny’s face flush from a pink to a beat red.
Larry swung around to face Sylar, going cross eyed for a moment. “Did you know he was a virgin until 6 months ago?”
“I’m afraid we haven’t gotten to that part in our introduction yet.” Sylar said, giving Danny a smirk he didn’t see.
“… You talk queer.” Larry said, pointing his bottle at him.
“Please stop talking about me losing my virginity. And quit accusing people of being gay.” Danny shoved his brother off him. Sylar had to hold off the burst of laughter that threatened to erupt when he felt the tingle of a lie. “Why don’t you get me a beer? I’m all out.” Danny pointed to one of the random bottle littering the table.
“What? Oh- Waitress! We’re on empty over here!” Larry hobbled off in the direction of the bar, stumbling into every pretty girl in his way. It might have been deliberate.
“I’m sorry. He’s not normally this bad. He’s a nice guy when he’s more sober.” Danny apologized, pushing some of the empty bottle towards the center of the table.
“It’s fine. He’s drunk so I won’t hold it against him.” Sylar reassured him.
“He’s not a bigot either, it’s just yesterday at the pool some guy came onto me real strong and Larry almost got us kicked out of our hotel because he punched the guy. I mean, if you’re gay- that’s cool and all, I don’t see what you’d being doing at a girl’s strip club, but- you know what, I’m shutting up now.”
Sylar chuckled at the mess Danny became when flustered. It made him ten times more attractive; bringing a light dusting of pink to his cheeks, causing him to nibble at his plump lips, and run his hand through his sweaty hair. He couldn’t understand why people were watching half naked girls dance when they would be watching Danny flounder away in embarrassment. He was undeniably more striking than anyone else here.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m bi anyways, so no offence taken.” Sylar said, just as Larry returned with a fruity concoction for his brother.
***
Danny was momentarily distracted by the drink Larry placed in his hands (before being pulled away by a dancer) he almost missed Gabriel’s reply. When it did catch up with him he ended up snorting into his drink.
“Shit. I’m such a mess today.” His face felt like it was permanently inflamed.
The guy’s dark laugh sent chills up his spine, making the small of his back come alive like a spike of electricity charging through his system. He fruitlessly attempted to clean up his spill; sure he’d miss some but didn’t want to embarrass himself any more.
“You missed some, right here.” Gabriel’s thumb swiped the corner of his mouth, Danny’s tongue sweeping out to follow him, tasting salt on contact.
Gabriel gave a soft gasp.
“Oh,” Danny said, licking his lips in an attempt to make it seem more like an accident. He couldn’t understand what in him made him react like that? Leeza had once done that at a restaurant and he had only gotten angry at her for treating him like an invalid.
He must have drunk more than he thought tonight.
Both were awkwardly quiet for a few minutes, Danny sipped at his drink.
“So, what brings you to Vegas?” Danny yelled over the music that started up as ‘Sugar Kane’ took the stage, desperate to start a conversation.
“Work.”
“Not pleasure?” Danny said teasingly, quirking an eyebrow towards Gabriel.
“Not at first.” Gabriel replied back, leaning towards Danny to be heard.
Danny smile. “So going to a strip club is part of your work? I think Larry would like that job.”
Gabriel laughed. “It’s not what you think. My work partner and I are here by chance.” Danny remembers him mentioning his party leaving him. “But enough about me, tell me about you.”
“Well, what would you like to know,” Danny asked. There was something very invigorating about Gabriel that Danny found himself answering to.
“Just in general. I admit we look around the same age, but I can’t be sure.”
“I’m 25, single, and currently studying to be a lawyer.” Larry had giving him the spiel on what to say about himself when asked, though he had been expecting Danny to use it on girls and not strangers he met in the bathroom.
“A lawyer, huh? Very noble of you. You going to give your brother a discount,” Gabriel said. Leaning back and setting his arm around the back of Danny’s chair so they could huddle closer to be heard.
“Oh god what is he doing now.” Danny mourned for a time when thinking about his brother’s semi-illegal business didn’t make him dread the charges that would be brought to court. Ignorance had been bliss.
Gabriel laughed. “I believe he’s lost his shirt and his pants are making a valiant effort to get away. He also seems to be giving a dancer a lap dance.”
He moaned, why did Larry do these things to him?
“And now he’s currently trying to pole dance. Not very attractively I might add.” Gabriel said. Small chuckles escaping whenever Larry did a particularly bizarre dance move.
“Sometimes I’m so thankful not to be able to see things.” Danny grumbled into his drink, feeling the alcohol sit heavily in his stomach. Both men paused in conversation to listen to the DJ announce it was time for the men to show the girls their moves, and Danny heard Larry let out a loud ‘whoohoo’.
“I think some of the girls here are wishing you were up there instead. I’ve never gotten so many evil eyes in my life and that’s saying something.”
“What?” Danny said.
“You cannot tell me you haven’t noticed the attention you’re getting from the females here?”
Danny remembered all the girls who asked him for dances or private showings but figured they had just been doing their job. “I guess, but isn’t that normal?”
“I kind of hate you that you believe being constantly hit on as normal,” Gabriel grouched, shaking the back of Danny’s chair lightly. “What kind of life you must lead, obvious to the pains of rejection.”
Danny tensed. He had gotten over Leeza but bringing it up still stung.
Her excuses for breaking up had been pitiful and worse in that he had believed them for so long. She had such influence on him and he had been so besotted with her he hadn’t even noticed how much she had changed him. Not that all the changes were bad, there had been some good, but looking back she had been angry at something for a time long before he met her and she had brought that into their relationship. He had eventually seen that she had been with him because she hadn’t wanted to look bad breaking up with him, especially with all the drama they had put their family through. Only lately was he able to look back on his relationship and not automatically hate himself for something he did or didn’t do, or ask himself questions about if he had been the problem.
He had even attempted one or two dates after the breakup, and they had been just as disastrous. One had told him that he would never find love with any woman but her, and proceeded to stalk him for two weeks. The other had admitted she was lesbian and too afraid to tell anyone. Then hot coffee was thrown in his lap when her girlfriend showed up.
He quietly sat there, playing with the straw of his drink, not replying.
“So I think I just made an ass of myself.” Gabriel said, his hand lightly caressing Danny shoulder. “Sorry.”
“No it’s okay.” Danny said. It had been a mistake.
“I shouldn’t assume. I don’t like it when people assume things about me so I shouldn’t be a hypocrite. I admit to some jealousy, everyone’s had their eye on you since I walked in and you’ve been very nonchalant about it.”
Danny snorted in disbelief. “I don’t believe that.”
“That I’m jealous? I’ve been practically transparent with you here Danny.” Gabriel said, his voice getting gravely.
“What’s there to be jealous of? Because people watch me? I’m sure they’re just staring at the blind guy in the strip club wondering what he’s doing here.”
Gabriel’s fingers were now brushing the back of his neck, making the hairs there stand on end.
“Danny, you can’t see it but the majorities here want to get in your pants. I think I saved you from being molested by locking the door behind me in the bathroom.”
“So you’re saying that you and my party are the only one’s immune to my charms?”
“I wouldn’t say that. I defiantly charmed.” Gabriel’s voice rumbled up from his chest, practically roaring in Danny’s ears and leaving an echo behind, though in reality he had only whispered in Danny’s ear.
He flushed. It felt like hot lead boiled in his stomach, causing his pulse to flutter and sweat to dimple his forehead.
“Excuse me sirs, the Queen Bee would like an audience with you.” A girl’s distressed voice said from behind them.
Danny jumped, startled. He hadn’t heard her walk up behind him. “Um, who are you talking to?”
“You sir. If your companion could remain here she’d like to speak with you in private.”
While normally Danny would turn her down in a heartbeat he was too flustered by the other man’s presence to really think strait. He stood quickly and awkwardly, nearly tripping over into the man in his hast.
Besides, she hadn’t said anything about a dance or drink, just talking.
“Sure.” He said to the girl. “You’ll be here when I return Gabriel?”
“Yeah, I’ll wait for you.” Danny couldn’t help the relief that went threw him at the man’s word.
The girl led him towards the back stage, where over the booming music he audibly heard things being thrown and breaking against the wall. He was surprised it seemed that no one else noticed.
Knocking on the door three times, the girl pushed him into a room where the noise generated from, quickly shutting the door behind him. Danny suddenly found himself pushed against it and sharp fingernails digging into his arms.
“You,” A woman hissed. “Because of you I didn’t get my intended target.”
“What?” Danny said, trying to push the woman away but she only clung tighter.
“You broke the spell I was weaving. That’s only happened once when another with abilities came in here. So explain to me how you did it!” The hysterical woman was trying to shake him like a doll but Danny was too heavy for her to move.
“Look lady, I have no idea what you’re talking about. How about you just let me go, and me and my party will leave.” Danny grabbed her wrists, hoping to pry her off that way. Were they alone in here? Why wasn’t anyone helping?
“Don’t you fucking lie to me! You’re not leaving here until you tell me the truth!” She screeched. Danny struggling to dislodge her enough so he could reach behind him to the door handle. The woman noticed his attempts and bolt it shut before Danny had a chance.
“What is it? What is your power and why is it so much stronger than mine!” She had finally let go of Danny but started hurtling things towards him instead, he could hardly dodge them all and some of the object made contact.
“Fuck! Lady I don’t know what your problem is and I have no clue what you’re talking about but if you don’t let me out of here right now I’m calling the police.”
“Fine, if you won’t tell me I can live with that. Sadly for you, you can’t. I killed the last guy with powers and I’m not afraid to do it again.”
“Shit.” Danny didn’t doubt her. He fumbled for his cell-phone in his back pocket. The woman was still throwing things at him though causing the glass wall behind him to shatter, raining down pieces of sharp glass and cutting him.
“Danny!?” Gabriel’s urgent voice broke through the catastrophe around him. Even the woman stopped screeching for a moment.
** It was too long, continue on in:
Part II