A/N: I am legitimately shocked I have never written a Gargoyles story before. It is, quite frankly, one of my all time favorite cartoons. So dark, so edgy, so fresh. I loved every second of it. Okay, "The Goliath Chronicles" were iffy but not altogether terrible. They had some good moments. I mean, at least, it wasn't Dragon Ball GT bad. Ugh, that series. Anyway, here is my take on the aftermath of one of my favorites series of episodes from the amazing series, "Hunter's Moon." My idea of what happened the next day between Goliath and Elisa. Yes, I know there is a canon conversation that happened between them but this is one of my all time favorite romances in any media and I just really wanted to write about it. Enjoy, minasan!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Gargoyles. I wish I did but no. The rights belong to Greg Weisman, Disney, and others. And God bless them for it.
Goliath looked over the city from his ancestral home, Castle Wyvern, as it sat atop of Eyrie Building, still amazed to back. He looked around, viewing the entire island of Manhattan. He had forgotten what an amazing view it was. It was a dream of his to have his home back again. Despite the reality before him, it all felt so alien.
"Still getting used to it?"
Smiling, Goliath turned to see Elisa walking up to him. Of course, he recognized her voice as soon as she spoke.
"As best I can," he admitted.
She walked up to him and leaned over the stones. "Where's everyone else?"
"On patrol."
"On your orders?"
"To keep an ear to the city, listen for what is being said about us now."
"You knew I was coming here."
"Indeed."
She smiled. "Did you send them off on purpose? Everyone?"
He smiled. "Perhaps."
She chuckled. "You can be such a terrible liar."
"I'll take that as a compliment. I was hoping we could talk."
"I figured as much. It's why I'm starting my shift late."
They looked back over the city, a rather quiet night in the NYC. After the past few days dealing with the Hunters and Demona, no one was complaining.
"Everything's different now, isn't it?" he asked.
"Well, I haven't anything close to normal in a long time," she replied.
He chuckled. "I'd imagine not."
"But you're right. Everything is." She looked at him. "Everything."
He smirked. "That is what I truly wanted to talk about."
"No surprise there. For such a stone faced warrior…" She paused, "in some cases, literally, you're a little bad at hiding your feelings."
"Only when they come to you."
She leaned her back against the ledge. "So, you want to talk about the kiss?"
"I wish to talk about a lot of things."
She smiled. "And how should we go about this?"
"We just talk. Openly and honestly. I would like to."
She nodded. "I like the sound of that." She chuckled, softly. "You're definitely not like most men, Goliath. Or males, is the better word. How do we get this started?"
He smirked. "I believe the humans have a saying: ladies first."
She laughed. "That's not human exclusive, ya know."
"All the more reason you should go first."
She held her smirk then let her mind dwell on everything. The whole incident with the Hunters was just under 24 hours ago with some emotions still running pretty high. She knew why she kissed him and she had many plans on doing it again. But she knew what he wanted. What they both wanted. They nearly lost each other in this recent struggle. They had been close before but this experience brought them closer to than ever.
"Well…" she began, "I can definitely say all this made me appreciate all that you've done for me." She stared at him. "All you've been to me."
He smiled. She took the words right out of his mouth. And heart, as it were.
"We've been through a lot. Nothing's been the same since you came into my life. And saying that it was for the better would be an understatement." She shook her head. "Despite all the trouble, that even I have trouble still believing actually happened, it's been great." She let her mind dwell on all they had been through. "Robots, mutates, cyborgs, a race of magical creatures, even actual gods. It's been one crazy adventure." She looked over the city. "But… let me stop reminiscing on the good times and get to what this is really about." She looked at him. "I know with all of we've been through, it's easy to fall for a hero syndrome. This is to say nothing of… the obvious physical differences."
He nodded, understandingly.
"But… but, it would be different if I just started feeling this way after the first time I fell off of the castle and you saved me. But it wasn't like that. I told you a good detective trusts no one and you felt the same."
"I remember."
She smiled and looked away. She looked back at him. "Then I guess I'm a bad detective." She stared at him. "Because I absolutely trust you. And more. I started with trying to learn about you, then I trusted you, then you became my friend and now…" She paused before letting herself go any further. She didn't like being so emotional but she knew she had to suck it up for now. "…but that's why I feel like this, Goliath. Every effort I put into getting to know you, you showed me your heart and gave the exact same effort right back. That's not to be found everywhere." She chuckled. "Do you know what some women have to go through to get a man with half your caring? Some girls would rather build one. It wouldn't take as long as it does meeting one. But you don't mind spending time with me, getting to be around me, even if it's just to talk. I've even complained about my day to you." She laughed. "Can you believe it? A thousand year old gargoyle is the only man willing to listen to me complain about my day."
He laughed.
She sighed. "You've been there for me through everything. And I can't help but thank for it. It wasn't at all hard to love you for it."
He nodded.
She exhaled. It was a different feeling for her to let all of those emotions out. "I'm not used to that." She stared at him. "Alright, your turn."
He stared at her then looked out over the city. "With everything that has happened since the massacre here and Xanatos's original betrayal, I didn't think I could trust humans again. And, after all of Demona's lies and treacheries, even throwing away what we once had, I thought the capability of my heart to feel love had long since been destroyed. After all of the trauma I had been through, I thought such emotions were gone. The very possibility was destroyed." He looked at her. "Until recently."
She smiled and even blushed a little. She looked down for a brief second then looked back at him.
"I have not cared about anyone like I care about you in so long. I was beginning to think that I could only care about keeping the Clan alive. Then you became one of our Clan. Then… you became so much more to me."
She blushed even more.
He shook his head and took a few steps to pace as he gathered his thoughts. "I didn't ever think to feel such things again, Elisa. With how Demona threw it all away, I thought that part of me was not meant to be a part of me."
"I understand. I would feel the same."
"I intended to do what any Gargoyle does: protect until my time to pass had come. In fact, I still intend to live that way but now…" He paused. "…now there is more to see in my future than that."
"I would hope so," she teased.
"But I know nothing about our situation is conventional. But it feels more… special this way. After being alone so long, after being seen as a leader, an enemy, a guardian, a monster, a threat, and a nightmare…" He looked in her eyes. "…it is quite amazing to be seen as something more."
"A lot more than you can imagine, big guy."
"I would like to find out."
"That could take a while."
"I have the time."
She smiled. "Good."
He sighed. "I… know that things will be… interesting, at best, considering."
She held her smile. "Are you talking purely outer appearance? Because, after all we've been through, that doesn't bother me."
"Are you sure?"
"Goliath… I'm a human and you're a gargoyle but we are far more than what we are on the surface."
"Agreed."
She walked up to him. "Besides…" She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm a long way from caring about what other people think. You've made a lot of sacrifices for me. I am more than willing to make few for you."
He wrapped his arms around her and stared into her eyes. "I will continue to make all I need to for you."
She smiled. "Then, what else is there left to say?"
"Just this." He pulled her closer. "I love you, Elisa."
She couldn't stop a tear from falling, no matter how hard she tried. "I love you, too, Goliath."
They completed their declaration with the final seal of love: a very deep, passionate kiss.
A/N: And there you have it! HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!
Matane, minasan,
T2 Angel
