Title: Beautiful Freak
Author: OpheliacAngel
Pairing: Normal/Alec
Genre: Romance/Hurt/Comfort
Rating: Teen
Summary: Tag to "Freak Nation". Normal shouldn't care about him the way he does. But yet, finding out he's one of those things, he realizes what's most important. That Alec is not a freak, not a monster, he's someone who Normal can't seem to let go of no matter how hard he tries.
A/N: This is kinda a companion piece to my other fic "Golden Gladiator", which was only one-sided Normal/Alec. It can be read without reading the other though. After watching the episode I started liking the idea of the both of them together more and more, and I desperately wanted to write the effects & aftermath of the second season finale. I really hope you enjoy this and a very Merry Christmas Eve to all!
D~A
Alec departs with his packages and the next time he sees him, which he never before would have said it was too soon if they were in any other situation, is in fact, far too soon.
He catches the perfect vision of the young man heading back inside Jam Pony, and there are so many harmless thoughts inside his head, that maybe he forgot something or even wanted to ask Normal something, which would be heavenly in so many ways. Unfortunately though, it's not that at all. Because Alec is not alone and the second he realizes it Normal just wants him to go away again.
Now he is in such grave danger Normal can't seem to breathe correctly, painfully close to wheezing and praying for them to let his beloved Alec go.
The one person he cares about most in this world has a gun being pointed at him, and Normal wonders only for a brief second if this is all some sort of sick joke, a dream, wanting him to see Alec suffer so he only worries more and may even have a breakdown when he awakens. Maybe this is the only way his mind has of telling him to go for it, make Alec his.
Alec is mine for the taking…
Oh God no.
He wants to blow all these motherfuckers to pieces, watch their blood flow and give out a cry of glory in their screams of pain. He wants to make them suffer, for what they're doing to Alec. His Alec. No one ever touches his Alec.
His body remains rooted at the spot though, probably mostly to do with the gun that's being pointed at him and another at Alec. No, he won't make any drastic moves, not when Alec is in danger like this, damn himself and his own life.
Normal would happily take a bullet for Alec any day of the week.
The boy looks at him in such an unreadable manner that Normal honestly can't tell what he wants him to do, to shoot or to just stay cool. He just wants him out of that filthy transgenic's hands, safe in his own grasp so he can better protect him, even if he doesn't have a gun at the moment and they're in the worst situation imaginable.
He continues to hold his hands up as they drag him farther away from him, and he tries to catch his gaze again but Alec's looking away this time. He doesn't look scared but Normal imagines a young man such as him, the infamous yet recently defeated Monty Cora, wouldn't be scared of anything at all, not even the notion of losing his life by the end of the day. No, he must be hiding it really well is all, and Normal can only just imagine what it must be doing to him.
Hell, he's worried too but he's not the one being held at gunpoint. Well, he is but this is different, he's not the one so much in danger here as Alec is.
Hang on, Alec.
D~A
There's a hole in Alec's shoulder now, oozing blood and it makes Normal a little dizzy.
Scratch that, a lot dizzy.
His heart is throbbing throbbing throbbing…
Beating beating beating…
Aching aching aching…
Normal closes his eyes for a millisecond but it feels infinitely longer, so long he swears he's back in one of those perfect dreams.
His fingers gently undress Alec's top half…
Pulsing pulsing pulsing…
With the craving… the raw need to wash all the blood away and lets his eyes settle upon the gorgeous figure.
Stitch him back up to perfection and leaning in
Closer closer closer…
Closer into his beautiful embrace.
Normal snaps out just in time to notice Alec is looking at him closely. Deeply.
D~A
He's one of them.
He can't wrap his head around it, and it isn't helping his already pretty rusty breathing from the moment he saw the gun and just who it happened to be pointing at, can't grasp onto the fact that he's really one of them.
What… How… Why?
Normal supposes that explains the wrestling, not to mention Maxie being able to kick his ass, having pretty much the exact same moves as the young man but fighting dirty instead, which is exactly how she won.
Damn Max.
Still. Alec?
He swallows hard as he forces the question out that's not really a question at all, just words that he needs confirmed, letters he can hardly force up his extremely dry and aching throat and through his sealed shut lips. And Alec confirms it, god, he confirms it and Normal wants to go over to him and shake him, ask him why and how this can even be possible.
Alec looks at him, merely shrugging it off moments later and Normal doesn't understand. He needs more, an explanation, something, anything as long as Alec is talking to him and only him. He's been left in the dark and the light needs to be turned on inside his head now.
Considering the situation they're all in, he thinks he's doing a pretty god job of hiding his hurt inside, his curiosity and want for Alec to say something more than just confirming he's one of them.
Transgenic…
He's been alienated from Alec and it hurts, the fact that he was never in danger, that he was working under his care for all this time without a clue of who he really is. That he is not human and Normal is. That he is a freak and Normal is not.
But Alec… Alec is no freak. He's positive of this and he runs this over and over again in his teeming head until it sticks.
Nothing has changed except everything has, Alec is still the same person but yet he's not. He's not even human.
Normal tries to catch his gaze again for a little while but he's not able. Alec is ignoring him completely and the human wonders if he really has forgotten all about him. He's practically screaming at the young man, not freak, to look at him and talk to him with his gaze. It's not working though, Alec doesn't so much as glance over and he feels so useless, so uncared for.
The very fact that he's considering whether he should write Alec off is making him want to tear his eyes out and hope the shock and pain of it kills him, so he'll never have to look at that beautiful and tragic face again.
D~A
The rest of the night flew by so quickly and with such terror and fast-paced action, that Normal can't say if Alec even crossed his mind for the last few hours.
With the task of birthing a transgenic's baby (never saw that one coming), paired with the guns and the fighting and the panic of whether he'll be killed and who he'll even be killed by, it's just been one panicky moment after the next. He's barely had time to think about whether these transgenics are so bad after all or just misunderstood like Max claims, let alone think about what this all means between him and Alec.
He's starting to trust them, the transgenics little by little, and he doesn't know if it's a good decision but goddammit, he's always trusted his gut and this feels right. Furthermore, he won't betray Alec.
Not his golden boy.
By the time they're gone and he's left behind, sitting on a bench with the couple others Max, Alec and their pals decided to ditch as well, he's so numb, so emotionally distraught enough for him to be utterly silent and still, is the next time he thinks of Alec, of what will happen to him.
If he'll ever even see him alive again… just one last time.
This shocking revelation has caused him to barely see the officers before him, his rescue, his saviors. Yet they don't feel like that at all, they feel like exactly what they are: men and women who wouldn't hesitate a second to kill his once golden, still golden gladiator.
The tears want to fall from his sore eyes yet they won't, his aching hands want to shake but they don't seem able to, he wants to cry out, shout, run back to him even though he hasn't a clue where the hell they're going.
He just wants to say goodbye… that's all he wants.
Yet all Normal does is sit there quietly, staring up at the new men who've just arrived, too careless and vacant to do anything but notice their presence, too sad and shocked to say a word.
Truth is, he's not happy to be saved from those 'not so evil at all' transgenics, he's not planning on making a statement saying how terrible it all was when it really wasn't, how the people he's had work for him for numerous months, years even, have all turned out to be the freaks that aren't really freaks at all.
It's not even just because of Alec, Max, that dog boy, even the pregnant chick, they all seemed like such nice people, were nice people even though he only knew a couple for a day and Max since… since forever.
No, he won't betray them, neither will he tell lies and stick to what he once thought he knew before. His entire outlook on life, especially concerning these manufactured humans, these transgenics, has changed completely.
Normal thinks he's on their side now… on his golden boy's side.
And he doesn't hate it like he previously thought he would.
D~A
He's sent everyone home and he's lonely enough to head in himself. After all, he's not doing much but cleaning up after the shootout, thoughts drifting to places he doesn't want to dwell in.
Normal snaps out of his reverie for about the thousandth time, pushing his glasses up further on the bridge of his nose as his hands grip the broom handle tighter, sweeping the remainder of glass and other debris outside, focusing on the broom and his mission alone. He doesn't look up for a moment because he needs to focus, go to bed before the worst memories of the recent past take over and make him pick up the phone again.
He needs to stop worrying, it will do no good for his mind and somehow it's not enough when he says it to himself.
The operator of Jam Pony hums softly to himself as his fingers move up instinctually to pull his glasses up yet again. Hands grip the broom handle tighter, sweep sweep sweeping everything that poses a threat away, all the problems and past and concerns. All the things he wants yet cannot have.
Normal sighs and flips off the radio, his ears throbbing and his mind becoming a huge boiling mass of hate for all those out there who are not only willing, but happily ready to call them freaks... and monsters... and their only wishes being to kill them. Kill his one and only.
He used to be one of them, before he found out the truth and realized just how wrong he was to think anything.
He sweeps his business floor so long and so intently that his hands begin to burn, eyes begin to sting from training them on one spot for so long, hours probably, and not only that but the onset of tears he's desperate to avoid is begging him for release on his now squeaky clean floor.
It doesn't matter that no one's around, this doesn't justify him for letting it all out. He doesn't want to deal with this now, not ever.
He's moved over to his corner when he hears footsteps and his mouth won't work right, like it should, to tell whoever it is to bip bip bip away from him forever. Because he can't hold back the floodgates anymore, he's so afraid his entire reputation will be ruined if he even glances up.
He does though, eyes gazing and soon drowning in hazels that he should remember, knows, and then he's zooming out to that oh so beautiful face and he's there.
He's here.
D~A
"Alec?"
"Don't turn me in", he begs brokenly, such hurt showing within his hazel eyes, "please."
"Hey…", Normal leans his broom up against the counter and walks closer, wrapping his arms around Alec and reveling in the sensation of his head dropping down near his own, resting on his left shoulder, "it's okay. You're safe here."
Alec pulls away, "Not for long, they'll…"
"Shhh", Normal pulls him away upstairs, towards his small private room, complete with a bed and small window overlooking the city of Seattle.
None of his deemed 'losers' know about this place, except Alec, he's wanted to show Alec this place since forever.
"Sit down."
Normal isn't quite able to fathom how Alec is even crying, the tough guy that he is, but he is so overwhelmed with relief and happiness that he doesn't really care. He should though, cause clearly something's up.
Suspicious of the wound that he witnessed just the day before, Normal gets the young man situated upon his bed before peeling off his jacket and cutting away his T-shirt with a pair of scissors. Glancing up at him briefly, the thick and heated sweat so apparent on his forehead, the fever that no doubt must be there, his suspicions are confirmed and he focuses more closely on getting the shirt off so he can better assess Alec's condition.
"God…"
He breathes in and out as best as he is able, knowing Alec is having a far more difficult time in doing so, as he eyes the mess before him, the infected wound that's inflamed, puffy, and frankly looks like it hurts like hell.
"Thought they'd take better care of ya over there", he looks up at Alec briefly, watches his faint smile and is at least glad he's still able to do that at this point.
"Yeah well, you know me. Hate to be fussed over."
"That I am aware of", he winces as he gently probes the wound, hearing Alec trying to stifle a groan and failing.
He immediately turns away, unable to see Alec in such pain and be expected to keep it all inside. He can't bear for him to witness how much he does mean to him yet.
"Why don't you lie down, gotta get this stitched up."
He gathers up his materials quickly and turns back in time to see his golden boy raise an eyebrow in surprise at him, "You can stitch me up?"
Normal nods a little shakily, "Course I can. Just cause I haven't gone to med school doesn't mean I don't know how to stitch some flesh together."
He still gulps though, not because he's not the best suited to do this, he has done it several times before, just that he's not sure he'll be able to hold it all together after all.
Normal patiently waits for Alec to lie down on his bed before continuing, "This might sting a little."
Alec snorts, "Don't I know. It hasn't been the first time."
The older man finds himself startled at these words, he can't imagine his golden boy getting shot without him there. Then again, Alec's lived a whole other life without him. He was manufactured and lived practically behind bars for most of his life, other than that he doesn't know much, just that he must have escaped at some point, and maybe he got shot then.
Still, it isn't helping any to dwell on things he cannot change.
Normal swallows a little, unsure of whether to talk or not at this point, even if he does want to get Alec's mind off the pain, the agonizing groans and minute whimpers that emanate from his tense form every few seconds. His fingers are working quickly but gently, eyes sometimes flickering to his tanned muscles. Still, it isn't enough. The fact that he's stitching up Alec, not someone else, is what's making this all the more challenging.
Hard.
"They shot you before?"
There's silence for a few moments before he can feel the young man breathe deeply and sigh, licking his chapped lips before answering, "Nah. Was working a case with Max and some guy got me in the shoulder. No big deal."
Normal nods, a little shaken up by Alec telling him it wasn't a big deal when it is to him, moving on to start another stitch, "They do anything else to you there?"
Alec runs a hand over his face, "Yeah, worse things than bullets. But that's past."
He nods again, wondering how Alec's lasted this long without breaking down. He didn't even know he had this much willpower in him, it's astounding. Normal doesn't want to think about what these government people did to Alec though, doesn't want to keep on asking him questions though he can think of nothing else to do.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, 'm fine."
"Sure?"
"Yeah, I'm good."
Normal bites his lip, wondering how he should go about this, the right buttons he needs to push to make Alec break down his barriers just a little more, talk when that's all the older man wants.
To be there for him, since his friends seem to be a little too busy to figure out something's really eating away at him. And it's not just the bullet, the only thing that tiny bastard has managed to do is inflame both his arm and terrible past wounds.
"You know, Alec…"
"Don't", he pulls away from Normal a little, stiffening and he wants to pull him back because he doesn't want the transgenic to cover up anything.
This is it, he's accepting his golden boy as a bonafide transgenic, manufactured solider, freak.
Albeit a beautiful one at that.
Surprisingly though, Alec continues on just when Normal thinks he'll have to push extra hard, "I wanted to come back, okay? It wasn't some pity plea or any other bullshit. Wanted to see you."
His eyes are turned away from Normal but he can read the pain in them still, the near pleading and struggling to get off what's crushing his chest but also not wanting to crack his pride for even a moment.
The older man's mouth drops open in shock but he cannot stop the smile that begins to form, "You did?"
"Course."
Alec wants him… he loves him…
His scarred yet still so golden gladiator clears his throat a little awkwardly, and stares at the wall he's almost brushing up against.
"What's gonna happen, Alec?"
His eyes finally turn to him, "I don't know, don't really want to think about it at this point."
"Will they lock you up?"
"Maybe."
"Will they torture you?"
"Possibly."
"Kill?"
"Probably."
Normal scoots closer to the young man on instinct, "Will I ever see you again, after this?"
"You'd be better off not wasting your time with me, Normal. I'm not worth you getting killed."
"Don't say that. I can't… can't imagine a world without you in it."
His voice cracks so pitifully halfway through that damn sentence that he has wanted to say to Alec for so long, too long so that it's felt like an eternity.
"…"
"Stay here", Normal pleads even though he already knows the answer regardless of what he says, "at least for the night."
He can see the want in those eyes, knows Alec wants to stay but of course he won't let himself, "Can't."
"Please."
Alec's just admitted that he wants him, possibly loves him and he can read that so clearly in his eyes that he knows it must be true. So how can he let him leave, after this not so little confession? He can't, just can't bear to see the love of his life go so soon, with a terrible end for him in sight, the mere thought that the next time he sees him may be his lifeless body, vibrant hazel eyes left open and staring up at a very much alive, grieving Normal forevermore…
They have to do something, spend the night together at least, to further profess their love in other ways that Normal can't seem to resist at this point now that he knows.
He knows.
Alec is looking fully at him now, making sure he understands the words he speaks because they're not lies. Normal knows this but doesn't care, can't care for the sake of what they might actually have.
"I just can't justify doing that to you. It's not fair."
"You're not being fair."
"Don't pull that card", Alec warns brokenly, "don't you dare pull that card…"
"I love you."
"I'm some god to you, Normal. How could you ever love me in the way…?"
"No, you're not. You're not human yet you're the most beautiful man I've ever met. And I want you. I want you Alec."
There it is, the sentence, the mantra of words he's repeated over and over in his head for endless days, fantasized about saying, not only in his dreams but in reality. Alec deserves this much now, after he's confessed his feelings are there as well.
This may not be the best of times but it doesn't matter, nothing should stand in the way of their love, even if Normal sounds naïve while saying it.
"Why?"
"Because", Normal leans closer, giving Alec nowhere to go except to crush himself further against the wall, "you are beyond beautiful."
He presses his forehead up against Alec's and just breathes, basking in the glory and beauty that is the transgenic, his own personal gorgeous transgenic.
"My gladiator", he says under his breath, smiling just a little wider before he kisses him on his lips, slow and soft, not panicking when his new boyfriend doesn't seem to kiss back.
He pulls away reluctantly.
"Don't start with that shit again, if this is gonna work you're gonna have to treat me as either a kick ass killing machine or an ordinary, and I would prefer the latter."
Normal smiles and shrugs, "Sure, whatever".
He crawls up on the bed, placing a bandage over his wound and making sure to be careful as he lies down beside his Alec, turning towards him.
"Seriously though, I am leaving in the morning."
Normal doesn't answer, just leans in for another kiss and this time… Alec gives it everything he has as well.
D~A
The second he flicks his eyes open he can sense Alec's absence, and as sad as it is he doesn't panic because he had managed to convince Alec to stay with him throughout the night, and he did say that he would be leaving in the morning.
Normal only wishes he had gotten the chance to say goodbye, as painful as that might have been.
He sits up, yawns and stretches as he pulls himself out of bed, hearing something fall to the ground and he hastily picks it up, noticing it's a small piece of scrap paper that he assumes was left for him by Alec.
He puts his glasses back on and reads:
Don't come looking for me, I'll be back.
And by the way, thanks for last night.
~Alec
Normal puts the card down and heads downstairs for work, smiling and whistling as he sweeps his lobby again, reliving when Alec came to him last night, so broken and torn and looking for ultimately… love.
He doesn't know the chances of Alec coming back to him in a body bag, doesn't know if his promise means anything considering where he's going, the consequences of coming back here when he needs to, wants to. All the humble operator of Jam Pony knows is that he has faith, faith that Alec will make it back to him, that all will turn out well and maybe someday they'll have a life together.
And even though the news and his country right now might say differently, nothing can crush that faith. For it is as everlasting as his love for the transgenic who actually… fell in love with him.
Normal jumps for joy because no one's around this early.
FIN