Author's Note: I've had this half written for a while but the season 3 premiere woke up my muse so here is a new PD drabble! I like this AU, I may write a sequel for it if others like it. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Penny Dreadful in any way; I'm just a simple fan
"Hey there darlin'," a voice drawled. "Mind if I sit here?"
Vanessa looked up from the book she was reading into the dark brown eyes of Ethan Chandler and a small shiver ran down her spine.
Ethan Chandler was, to put it bluntly, the high school thug. Vanessa had never spoken to him in person before this, but she had heard the hushed rumors. He had moved from Texas with his father about three months ago and they said he had led a 'rough and tumble' type of life. He was known for fighting in school and could apparently be hired to beat someone up if the price was right. Vanessa knew that most of her classmates were scared of him and she had a feeling that Ethan worked hard to uphold his reputation.
"Of course," she said smoothly, trying to hide her reaction, and she nodded in acquiescence. He grinned, his lips curling slightly, and he sat in the offered chair without taking his eyes off of her.
She wondered what on earth made him approach her during lunch; why would he bother with someone like her? She was a nobody. Vanessa was naturally reserved and generally kept to herself. She found it hard to relate to most of her classmates, although she had a small group of friends. Her best friends were Mina Murray and her brother Peter. They had been next door neighbors for as long as she could remember and they spent all of their time together. Mina knew absolutely everything about her and Vanessa trusted her implicitly; in reality, they were closer than sisters. She and Peter had introduced Vanessa to their friend Victor Frankenstein and they had quickly formed their own quartet. They were an odd group, to be sure, but it suited Vanessa.
Vanessa's eyes scanned Ethan curiously. He certainly had the body type of a fighter. He was tall, broad shouldered, and muscular. His long dark hair hung into his brown eyes and brushed his shoulders and facial hair spotted his face. He was hot, she supposed, in a feral sort of way.
"I've heard a lot about you," Ethan said. Vanessa frowned. She wasn't sure if she liked that.
"Really? What have you heard?"
"They say you're a witch," he said seriously, although his mouth twitched slightly in amusement.
"Ah, of course," she grimaced. That particular rumor had haunted her since the sixth grade when Amanda Worthington claimed that she had seen Vanessa performing a spell on Travis Sweeney during recess. She and Travis had been playing when all of a sudden Travis had some sort of fit. The class found out later that Travis had epilepsy but everyone still believed that she really had cursed him.
"Is it true?" Ethan was looking at her out of the corner of his eye, frank curiosity etched on his face, and she suddenly felt like she was under a microscope. Vanessa frowned. She hated when people looked at her like that, although she got the sense that he wasn't trying to offend her. It was more like he was trying to get to know her.
"Of course," she answered seriously. "Couldn't you tell?" His eyes raked over her body, lingering on her crisp white blouse and neatly styled bun, and he shook his head.
"I don't see it. You look like something out of painting." She flushed at the words and he smirked in approval. The smirk set her teeth on edge; she could tell he was amused by her response.
"Is that why you sat here? Just to see if I was a witch?" she asked, trying to sound causal, and quirked an eyebrow in puzzlement. It was odd to think that a guy like Ethan could be apprehensive about a supposed witch.
"Just felt like sitting here," he said casually. Vanessa accepted the explanation without question, although she desperately wanted to ask for the real reason. There were plenty of empty seats scattered around the cafeteria and they had never talked before. The whole situation was strange.
"We're in the same Lit class," Ethan mentioned. "I'm three chairs behind you."
"I know." She was keenly aware that they shared a class. Even from a couple seats up she could smell the cigarette smoke and cheap deodorant that clung to his clothes. Most of her classmates hated the smell. The brave would shoot him dirty looks while the rest complained in agitated whispers but Vanessa didn't mind. There was something oddly alluring about the odor.
"I think Lyle is in love with you," Ethan said, his tone light and teasing. "He's always raving about your 'insightful papers'."
"Even if I was old enough, I don't think I'm his type," Vanessa replied. Mr. Lyle was the most flamboyant gay man she had ever met. Each hair was carefully coiffed, he flirted constantly with the principal Mr. Dalton, and his voice fluttered with over the top emotion. Truth be told, Vanessa liked him; he was one of the few teachers that actually cared about his students. He spoke with her with passion and insight and he was the only teacher that didn't seem to view her as some sort of oddity.
"True, but he might make an exception."
"You never say anything in class," Vanessa said.
"It's easier that way," Ethan answered. "When you move from place to place like I do, it's better to keep your mouth shut. You don't wanna draw attention to yourself."
"Why did you move here?" she asked curiously. He wasn't the only one who got to ask questions.
"My dad got a new job, so here I am," Ethan said gruffly.
"You don't sound too pleased."
"Trust me, you wouldn't want to live with the asshole either. It's the sixth time I've moved in two years, believe me, I'm fuckin' over it," his voice was rough and she could see his fingers clench into a fist. The sight made her ache with sadness.
"I'm sorry." Vanessa felt genuinely sorry for him. She couldn't imagine constantly being uprooted, forced to start over and over, never knowing how long she would be in one place. It must be exhausting.
"Thanks," he said. They sat in an uncomfortable silence for a couple of minutes.
"You read some interesting books," Ethan noted, eyeing the book in her hands. It was a large volume, dark cover cracked from use, with simple white lettering on the spine. It was ominous and inviting all at once.
The change of subjects was clumsy but Vanessa let it slide without comment. Clearly talking about his father had touched a sore spot.
"Are you interested in the Verbis Diablo?" she asked skeptically.
"I'm interested in dark haired beauties," Ethan smirked and Vanessa instantly burst out laughing. She couldn't help it. The students looked at them curiously. She could see that a couple of people were whispering to each other, no doubt discussing the odd occurrence, but she didn't care. The pickup line was so unexpected that she simply had to laugh. Luckily, Ethan didn't seem offended by her reaction. He chuckled and gave her an apologetic shrug.
"That was quite suave. How many times did you practice that?" She questioned after she had calmed down.
"A couple times," Ethan admitted. He smiled at her, a real smile, and she found herself smiling back. "Did it work?"
"No," Vanessa answered. "But it was amusing and flattering." The two grinned at each other and Vanessa was surprised that she felt so at ease. It had taken her years to feel comfortable around her friends yet talking with Ethan seemed effortless.
"What is the Verbis Diablo?" Ethan asked. He plucked the book out of her hands and began to flip through the pages, eyes scanning with interest.
"According to biblical lore, the Verbis Diablo is a corruption of angelical speech," she explained. Normally, most people would be off put by the subject but Ethan was staring at her hard and she could tell that he was genuinely curious. "Essentially, it's a dead language that scholars are trying to unravel although it's quite a challenge. It was an oral tradition, essentially, although there is one example of written text. This book tries to pick apart possible meanings and origins."
"I never would have pegged you for this," Ethan commented. "I thought you would be reading Charlotte Bronte or something, maybe some Gothic romance."
"Sorry to disappoint," Vanessa said but he shook his head and leaned forward. She pretended not to notice how close he was or the way her body shifted to get even closer.
"I never said I was disappointed," Ethan said softly, his dark eyes burning into hers, and she felt distinctly like Red Riding Hood looking into the face of the Big Bad Wolf. Vanessa returned the look, a strange vibration coursing through her veins, and she didn't know what to do. Nobody had ever looked at her as he was looking at her. His gaze penetrated her so that she froze, unable to break away from him, not wanting to lose the feeling, and the air hummed with some strange, unknown need.
"Vanessa! There you are!" The statement burst whatever tension had occurred between them. Vanessa blinked, leaning away from Ethan, trying to gain some control over herself. She silently noticed Ethan's frown and obvious disappointment at the interruption and the sight made her inexplicably happy.
Victor was hurrying to the table, carrying a stack of textbooks, and it was clear that he hadn't noticed Ethan yet.
"I swear, Mr. Clare has it out for me. He hates me. I was trying to make a very valid point about reanimation, but he had to ridicule me in front of the whole class," Victor grumbled. "He's just a bitter old man who's stuck teaching biology in high school since he didn't have the talent to go to medical school. I swear, I'm going to-" Vanessa coughed slightly, trying to alert him that they were not alone, and Victor paused.
"Oh," he said, finally seeing Ethan. Victor frowned in dislike. Vanessa felt herself bristle at his expression but she didn't say anything.
"Mina and Peter were looking for you," Victor told her, never taking his eyes off Ethan. "They're waiting for you in the band room. Remember? They sent me to get you."
"Oh right," Vanessa sighed. She had been planning on meeting them there for lunch since they had to practice, but she had completely lost track of time while talking to Ethan. She glanced at him. Ethan seemed unfazed by Victor's glare and watched their exchange with interest.
"Victor, you know Ethan, right?"
"Yes," Victor said stiffly and he nodded stiffly. Ethan chuckled, the sound rough, and nodded as well.
"We're in gym together and unfortunately I roughed up your boy a bit last week. Completely unintentional, by the way," Ethan told Victor with a shrug. Victor's frown deepened and he looked impatiently at Vanessa. She sighed and began to gather up her things.
"Ok, let's go. Well, I guess I'll see you later in class," Vanessa said hesitantly as she rose from the table.
"Yeah of course," Ethan said and she felt disappointed by his casual dismissal. She realized that she was being ridiculous and she shook off the discontent. She gave him a small smile and started to turn away.
"Right, uh wait one second," he rose as well. Ethan glanced at Victor, bit his lip, and then refocused his attention on her. Nervously, he asked, "Would you wanna go out sometime? Maybe take a ride on my bike? I'd really like to get to know you better."
Vanessa and Victor openly gaped at him.
She didn't quite know how to respond. Nobody had ever asked her out, let alone in such an offhand manner. She was surprised by his bluntness, but somehow the simplicity of it appealed to her; it was direct and earnest. She studied him. He was waiting patiently for her answer, hands at his sides, but she could see nervousness radiating off of him. Vanessa opened her mouth, prepared to decline, but she stopped herself and nodded. Ethan's reaction was immediate. A wide grin broke out on his face and his eyes were bright.
She thought he looked beautiful.
"Perfect, we'll figure out a time later. You better get to your friends." Vanessa nodded mutely and she and Victor left the cafeteria.
"What the hell was that?" Victor exclaimed as soon as they were out in the hallway.
"I have no idea," Vanessa said faintly but she knew in that moment that everything was about to change.
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