Title: A Custom Job
Author: Silvi Henna
Chapter: 1/1
Fandom: The Fast and the Furious/ Ats
Rating: FRC (G)
Warnings: None whatsoever.
Orientation/Genre: General
Pairing: None, other then what was showned in the Movie.
Disclaimers: TFTF was written by Gary Scott Thompson and Erik Bergquist and David Ayer, Directed by Rob Cohen, Produced by Neal H. Moritz for the Universal Studios so they are the owner of the characters within that fandom. I have no intention of making any money from this as this is above all (exclusively even) for fan enjoyment only. The characters from Ats (Angel the Series) are owned by Joss Whedon, WB, FOX, UPN, Mutant Enemy and all other affiliates.
Feedback: Oh very much so. Yes please! I would more then love for any FB you can give me. What do you think I can do to make this story better? I've had my sister (Saurii) go through this story for me a couple of times but her strong point is not tFatF.
Archive: AoVD – anybody else can as well if you want though I want to know where it goes so drop me a note.
AN: A brief moment where two worlds collide even though they remain oblivious to each other's reality. I've been slowly exploring the world of 'tFatF' and this ficlett (among others) is my way of trying to get a grasp of the characters of that verse. I still think I have a long way to go before I come even close to nailing them but…oh well.
Which reminds me I've also had this ficlett go through the Word Spelling program on my computer a couple of times so hopefully there will be none or at least not to many sp errors (I hope).
This takes place before 'tFatF', also in the Ats verse it's sort of an AU but it's not important for this story only that two crucial things that happened in season 1 didn't happen. Can you guess what?
On another side note I don't think you need to have been a fan (or know much about it, just that Angel – ladies and gents – is a vampire) of the TV-show to enjoy this.
I couldn't have done this Fic without my sister as she helped me develop and improve some parts of it even though we sometimes couldn't agree at all of what fitted best (the ability to Compromize has had a major role in the outcome of this).
Summary: It's a dull day in Dominic Torreto's garage.
Scribbling down his signature on the last piece of paper that needed his attention for the day Dominic gathered the rather impressive stack of paper on his desk into a net pile, the sound of shuffling paper filling the confinement of the small office. This was the worst part in owning your own business – the paper work that went with it.
It's not that he was bad with numbers or anything. It was just that he preferred the more hands on approach to things. He was a mechanic for crying out loud. If he could he would have chucked this part onto his sister. Though he shouldn't really complain as it was Mia that took care of the books, only coming to him when she needed him to look things over.
Placing the pile of papers on the to-go stack Dom stood up and stretched trying to get rid of the cricks in his neck and shoulder due to having spent the last couple of hours sitting on his ass.
Walking around his desk he moved over to the mini fridge as he had a sudden crave for a cool beer, something that wouldn't sit wrong in this heat. Bending down he pawed through the content of the fridge before he wrapped his finger around the neck of one of the many bottles of Coronas that filled it and smoothly retrieved it. Straitening himself up he uncapped the cold bottle, flicking the cap into the trash bin and took a healthy swallow.
Lowering the drink he tilted his head, and by the sounds he could hear from the garage – or more appropriately - the absence of any, he knew that there wasn't much going on. It didn't surprise him. This month had been rather low on the work front and if it weren't for the shop that Mia managed and the street races they attended, they would have been in a tight fit money-wise. Truth be told it was the only reason he kept the shop, that and the fact that Mia refused to let him get rid of it.
Walking up to the closed door of the office he opened it and lent against the door frame supervising all that was his. His dark eyes travelled around locating every one of his team.
By the look of them he knew that they were as bored as he was. Vince, his gruff-y looking childhood friend was sitting on what served as a couch in the garage, already one empty bottle standing forlorn by his spread feet and one resting between his thighs. He was twirling in his hands what looked like a cap. To his left Mia was sitting on top of some wheels, she was the only one that seamed to be busy as she read from a thick book in her lap. From time to time she cast a sidelong glance at Vince. Probably due to the uncharacteristic silence that emanated from his sprawled form.
Shifting his eyes Dom's vision locked on Jesse, his hyper active nature nowhere to be seen. A bored expression slackened his usually so animated features and seemingly in a fit to alleviate his boredom he was sitting by his computer going through some of his older designs. Next to him on the table was a half drunk bottle of Corona which Dom suspected had been like that for a while and that by now it would taste flat.
Taking a sip from his own drink he turned his attention to Leon who was sitting not far off looking through a magazine, one which Dom knew he had already read twice.
Curious Dom wondered where Letty was as he couldn't see her. Stepping away from the doorframe he drain the rest of the bottle before setting it down on a flat surface and walked further into the main area of the garage. Turning his head to the right he detected her boots sticking out from under the only car in the place at the moment.
A frown creased between his brows as there was something off about her legs. Stepping closer to the car he nodded his head at Vince as Vince spotted him. He had a niggling suspicion of what Letty was doing there but a big part of him couldn't believe it. Crouching beside the car his hand flat against the floor he peered under it his eyes widening at the scene he saw.
Passing his hand over his brow as the sweat trickled down he tried to wrap his mind around what he was seeing. There were a couple of fan working yet the heat was still rather pressing damping the clothes they wore.
Underneath the hood Letty laid on her back holding a wrench loosely in one hand, her face to the side. There was no question about it; she was fast asleep, her chest rising with each of her slow and even intake of breath.
Dom was too incredulous to know how to react but before he could say do anything to startle her awake a sound alerted him to the fact that someone was standing at the entrance to the garage.
Outside of the garage two cars had slowly rolled up and stopped with the engines idling.
The occupants of the cars made for an odd group of people. On their own they would've been remarkably out of place in the quiet neighbourhood, together the three men made the components of a bad joke.
They were split into what would have been pairs had the fourth male member of their team been able to part from his oh-so-precious books. As it were, the young African-American was stuck being the designated driver for when they had concluded their business and were to return to their offices, driving the only other vehicle accessible at the time.
Dressed as he was in his usual street clothes he made a stark contrast to his two pale colleagues driving the first car. Both being of Irish origin, the natural paleness was made even more so by their habitual nocturnal life, something the former gang-banger was happy to point out. However any other likeness there soon stopped, for they were as different from each other as they were from their young friend.
The elder by both time and experience if not by looks had both the money and the leanings to dress accordingly to his own desires without becoming a fashion-victim. Naturally favouring dark colours he tended to dress in black without giving any regards to natural environment, pulling of the noir look, come summer or winter, with an ease that was the envy of many.
In comparison his younger countryman wore the marks of hard living – with too much booze and not enough sleep nor food – as a badge of honour; proudly proclaiming to be someone in the habit of flirting with Miss Fortuna and losing.
As the engines kept idling the lone figure sitting in the second car; a ten year old beige Volvo which the young man feverishly hoped that none that knew him would see him in, started taping the rhythm of the music currently playing at a low key from the ancient car-radio.
If it weren't for the fact he had been asked to come and that there was no way he could drive his own wheels during the day - as the owner for this ugly ass car had smugly pointed out due to the simple fact that it's get up was all out illegal - he wouldn't had been caught dead in this one. Which in their line of business wouldn't be all that improbable.
Rubbing his hand over his shorn head he cast a look around the place with eyes that bellied his age. Pinching his lower lip he shifted in his seat. The heat made his tank-top plaster against his back which in turn then stuck to the seat making the drive over an unpleasant one even with the windows pulled all the way down.
As he temporarily stopped shifting his keen eyes looked over to the first car and watched as the driver of the beautiful piece of classic machinery stepped out. His friend sitting shot gun turned around in his seat, his arm flinging around to rest on the back of the driver seat as his green eyes caught his and a grimace distorted his features momentarily.
He silently watched as the driver stretched out and slipped on a pair of very dark sun glasses. Smoothing down his front the man looked around taking in where they were. It wasn't much to look at but they weren't there for the scenery. The sound of crunched pebbles could be heard as he moved over to him making him sit up straighter in his seat, a grimace distorting his features as his back un-plastered its-self from the seat.
Coming up to the driver side the tall man bent down and lent one forearm against the open window.
Whatever was said the one still sitting in the other car couldn't hear, as their voices were to low for it to pass the small circle they formed. Though he could guess what it was. By the look of his friend leaning on the driver-side door he knew he had been asked if he really wanted to do this. There really wasn't much choice which reminded him that he had come along on this little outing purely for moral support.
Turning around he grabbed the door handle and opened it stepping out into the midday sun, the harsh light making his pale skin more obvious though he was no where near as pale as his companion he smugly thought. As he began to walk over to them his friend straightened up patting the other one's shoulder reassuringly. The tall man removed his jacket handling it over and as he saw it he smirked.
Wearing a leather jacket in this heat would have surely raised some eyebrows. No matter if the heat didn't bother one the least. Turning around the man saw him and acknowledge him with a nod before looking up at the sky a frown appearing on his pronounced forehead.
Lifting his hands the man adjusted the glasses more securely on his face and then began walking over to the entrance of the building they had stopped in front of, an establishment modestly proclaiming by an old, washed-out sign to be DT's Garage. As they passed each other he lifted his hand and patted his friend shoulder, his hand briefly getting caught in the other's cool grip and gently squeezed.
As he watched him disappear beneath the shadows cast by the overhang he opened the passenger side of the old Volvo and sat inside his legs still on the ground and the door wide open. He gave a greeting to the dark man who nodded back at him before they both settled down to wait.
They both knew how much this little excursion hurt their friend and none of them had missed the tight expression on his face.
Looking up Dom straightened himself and, as he stepped forward, he gave a soft kick to Letty's boots inwardly grinning as he heard her jerk and thump her head swearing a blue streak. Blinking blearily she noticed Dom's feet and knew that it had been him. Grimacing she rubbed her head before rolling out from under the car and finally noticing what had caught the others attention.
It was a tall man standing by the entrance. As she stood up her eyes racked over his form taking in his appearance. He was a well built man around Leon's age with short brown hair sticking out in a styled fashion that defied gravity, any further assessment of his looks were prevented as half his face was covered by big, dark sun glasses.
She inwardly sneered at his clean cut look, so far removed from their own grease stained grittiness. But by the cut and fabric of his clothes he had money so she kept any comments to herself.
On his feet were solid black boots, well worn with odd scuff-marks at heel and toe. His legs where encased in dark trousers of a hard defining material and he wore a button down shirt in a colour so dark that it could just as well have been black. The mere look of his ensemble made her break out in sweat. How he could be dressed like that in this heat went beyond her.
She noticed that he wore jewellery. On his left hand he wore a silver Claddagh-ring and a thick thumb-ring, underneath the cuffs of his shirt she could see a bracelet peeking through. She had a feeling none of them were knock off. On his right hand he had two more rings but what drew her attention was the one on his middle finger. It was a rather ugly thing with a green stone of some kind and it looked old and worn.
When the sunlight caught its stone she could have sworn that it briefly flared with a yellow-green light making shivers go up and down her spine and goose-bump break out all over her arms. In comparison the ring on his second finger was rather plain. She would have said something snarky to him but as she opened up her mouth and looked up the words died in her throat.
He'd looked like a bug with those sunglasses on, but with them off there was no denying it; he was gorgeous even though he was a little bit on the pale side. Looking over at Mia she almost smirked; her wide eyed stare had a scowl settling over Vince's face as his eyes flicked over to Mia and then the man.
She cast a sideway glance at Dom and she knew that he had done his own appraisal, though for an entire different reason. Taking in the stranger's appearance she could see him trying to judge whether he was a threat or not but she couldn't read his expression to know what he'd decided on.
"May I help you?" Dom's deep gravel voice asked him as he stepped forward well aware of the eyes of the others silently taking in the scene.
As the man answered Letty couldn't suppress the shiver that went through her. Like his looks his voice was an unexpected treat and completely at odds with the deep rumble that usually passed as Dom's voice. It was smooth; she would even go as far as say seductive, like one of them voices that were made to whisper hidden things in the darkness of a bedroom. Unconsciously she stepped closer to Dom. Not taking her eyes of the man she missed the look Dom cast her.
"Hello, I heard you can deal with unusual custom jobs…that are somewhat below the par."
The voice was smooth and level with no accent whatsoever to give a clue from where he came from but Dom wasn't fooled by his unassuming appearance for he could sense that this was a dog that had a far sharper bite then bark. The fact that he didn't like how the girls were reacting to this guy's presence didn't help any.
Casting a sideway glance at his people he amended his thoughts to include the guys for he could see Leon walking over to Jesse and whispering something to him, though Dom had no wish to know what. Jesse himself looked like he was about to drool any second… it was embarrassing.
Not how he wished his team would present themselves. It seamed that some words with them later on would be appropriate. For now though, he chucked any thoughts about them to the back of his mind and turned his attention to the newcomer.
Looking him up and down he took note of the fact the stranger had taken of his sunglasses, which was a good thing since he preferred to be able to see a guy's eyes when he did business.
"Is that so?" he replied, wondering briefly where the man had heard it from.
The man stepped further into the shadow of the garage, his eyes squinting a little, and succinctly replied, "Yes. Is it true, then?"
After a pause where Dom eyeballed him he relented and slowly nodded, "It's true."
"Good. Then I'd like to make business, if you're up for it. Money isn't an issue."A smirk appeared and curled at the tips of his lips.
Waving his glasses around he shrugged and explained obviously having noticed their attention, "I'm a night owl."
And by the pale skin Dom could believe that. The guy's eyes were dark and unexpectedly hard.
Dom could feel Letty stepping forward as she asked, "What do you need?" the prospect of making money always exciting her. For some reason her exuberant response had the first show of amusement flash through his eyes, momentarily transforming his face. Even Jesse stood up from his seat, his eyes getting with that glint that Dom knew very well. He walked up to them hovering behind them as the guy reached for his belt and retrieved a rolled stack of papers.
"They're just a few modifications; reworking of the hull, engine and a change of windows. Things like that."
Stepping forward he handed out the papers to Dom but Jesse snatched them before Dom even had the chance to so much as look at them, and begun leafing through the stack. As the kid skimmed through the list his eyebrows raised the further he read. Seeing Jesse expression his curiosity peeked and by the mutters the kid gave as he turned and went to sit at the edge of a table…hmm.
The others gathered around Jesse peering over his shoulder and Dom joined them at last to see what kind of work the man wanted. He could feel the other one following them; he could also see that Jesse had already started to plan on what and how to do things.
"I'd like to have the glass necro-tempered. I know it's an unusual request, but that's what I'd like to have. Here's the number for the necessary contacts you'll have to make. They do special deliveries, I checked." the guy said as he handed over a slip of paper to Dom.
Taking it Dom looked down at the papers Jesse was holding. By what he could see none of the alteration they were asked to do where going to be cheap and he was already adding up the numbers in his head. Why the guy even wanted Necro-glass was strange but that wasn't any of their businesses.
He was very much into the No Question Asked thing mainly due to the fact that he himself was a very private man.
"We'll have to strip the car before we can start anything." Jessie said as he looked over to the man.
Watching him from the corner of his eyes Dom noticed him momentarily tensing up before purposely relaxing.
Shrugging he said, "That's ok. I'd like the exterior to be as close to the original state as possible, though."
"You got the car here?" Dom asked turning fully to him his arms crossing over his wide chest.
"Yes, it's outside."
Following him they stepped outside, Dom absently noticing how the tall man slipped on the sun glasses again as soon as they were out in the sun.
Immediately he noticed two cars, and the two other people which had obviously come with the man. He didn't pay more then a curious look towards the two men as his attention was fast caught by the car which, judging by the way the guy walked - was the object of discussion.
Even if it hadn't been it, it would still have had his full attention in and of itself. That kind of piece of machinery deserved nothing less and as his eyes landed on the beauty he gulped. He could hear the startle inhale of the others as they too realized which car they were going to butcher.
Yes, butcher, there was no other word for it.
The man passed a loving hand over its shining black hood and for the first time Dom could read true emotion on his features. Apparently he too felt the sacrilege they were supposed to perpetrate.
It didn't take long before they gone through the necessary arrangements to finalise the deal finishing with the man giving them a card with his phone number in case something came up. While Dom and the man shook hands Jesse had his head already stuck beneath the hood and was cooing over its treasure with Leon standing beside him.
"Take care of her." the guy said as he turned one final time toward his car, his face sad before he nodding again towards Dom. Dom nodded back, his hands still tingling from the hand shake. That man had a surprisingly strong and cool grip.
"We will." Mia for the first time spoke up making the guy look at her. Peering onto the card he had given Dom which Mia had confiscated she hesitantly said, "Mr…err… Angel."
At his nod of acknowledgement Dom realize that they had done the whole deal without verbally exchanging names. Dom could hear the quiet snort from Vince standing beside him and see the mocking in his eyes. As Mr Angel walked away he cast a brief glance at Vince and Dom had the sudden eerie feeling that Mr Angel had heard him.
Before he had walked more then a few steppes Angel paused, turned around and tossed Dom his keys, Dom catching them in mid air. Leaving them with the care of his car he walked to the old Volvo waiting for him. They could hear as it suddenly started and as Angel slipped into the passenger seat it slowly pulled out.
As the car disappeared from view he turned to the black beauty before him.
"I can't believe he wants to gut it." Leon finally exclaimed as he let his hand travel reverently over its shiny surface.
"I wonder what he wants with all the extra hidden compartments." Letty mused.
Looking at them Dom sternly told them off even though he too was curious and wondered what kind of enterprise Mr Angel was involved with. But as they said, curiosity killed the cat and he had the feeling that Mr Angel wouldn't be too pleased with them nosing about his business.
"That's not for us to know. Common people we've got work to do."
Clasping his hands he ushered them inside amongst their complaints as they wanted to drive the 1967 Plymouth GTX into the garage. Smirking Dom dangled the keys in his hand and without a word he slipped into the seat. As he turned the ignition on he let the engine purr a while before sighing and drove it into the garage, the other standing by ready to begin the work.
And to think that they had been bored out of their mind. This baby was going to earned them a lot of money and keep them busy for a while.
And by the look he had seen in this Angel's eye he knew that no matter what they thought of the travesty of doing what they were about to do, it hurt no way near as it did for that man. What ever had drove him to make such a decision he honestly had no desire to ever find out.
Jumping out of the car he tossed the keys to Vince who then gave them, at Mia's prompting, over to her.
Letty was lifting the hood readying the beautiful GTX to be emptied of its treasures and receive a whole new makeover – hidden perhaps, as the shell would remind the same, but a make over nevertheless.
The End.