[ Jus' so you know: This AU will be BEFORE Gru adopted the kids. In fact, the kids most probably won't happen to appear in this AU at all. Sry to all the Agnes/Edith/margo lovers out there. ]
A month later, Lucy drove down the streets of Pasadena. The address she was given wasn't that far away from her own city – surprisingly Lucy literally lived near her idol all the time. But thinking about Gru made her heart heavy with grief. He lost his eyesight. He was blind! What if he was desperate in his state, helpless and alone? She remembered Silas words; he was not an helpless old man. Blindness was not a bother to him. Well, maybe, maybe not, fact was that Lucy was going to help him. Even if it was just a cover from her actual deeds – she had been reading a lot. About how people took care of themselves without the ability to see. For example braille. Or their advanced hearing. She researched about a man who was able to live his life from childhood to old age with the mere ability to hear, to listen. He had put wind chimes all over his house in different pitches. Following the sound of the chimes he was orientating around his own house, which was incredibly huge from what she had seen on photos. She drove her car into a small, hidden street up a hill.
The suburban neighborhood slowly appeared in front of her eyes. How she wished to live in one of these houses. All by herself, with a family, pets – instead, she was living in a tiny apartment with only two separate rooms, which were the bathroom and the bedroom. She hadn't had a garden. Nor had she a frontyard. Her neighbors were rude and loud and terrible, and looking at each of the people who were mowing their lawn or watering their flowers, she was sure this neighborhood was peaceful and friendly – of course, until Lucy's navigation system exclaimed that she had arrived. Lucy stared outside. Right in the middle of small, white houses stood a gigantic, monstrous, black-coated mansion, throwing a large shadow over her car. It had tons of windows, large, small, tiny ones, and each of them were covered by dark-red curtains, blocking any sight inside this house. The lawn was dead and dry – lucy innocently assumed it was because its owner was handicapped and wouldn't be able to take care of the chores. But on the other side – it seemed like it was dead for years already. Lucy gulped. This was it. This was Gru's house. This was the resident of her one and only idol she admired. And now she was here, ready to start her work. She exited the car, clutching her purse closer to her side. She was nervous. Not only nervous, but truly frightened. Silas had assured her that Gru would be informed about a new 'guardian', but would he try to harm her anyway? After all – he was a villain. And she knew that he had killed people. And if he would blow her cover – and if he truly wouldn't hesitate to harm her…
Lucy was caught in thoughts when she heard something like a snarl. Eyes darted around, trying to find the source of the sound, only to find a creature standing on the lawn, eyes narrowed and teeth bared. It didn't even come close to the idea of a canine. It was small, furry, its jaw was huge compared to the rest of its body. So were its limbs. But nevertheless, Lucy made a few steps back from the beast as it approached further, not intimidated by the size difference between the two.
"Hey, kssh, go away!" she hissed, but it didn't seem to bother it. Until Lucy made a sudden movement if her legs, stepping backwards and against her car. The dog, or whatever it was, yelped, turned around and vanished behind the house with howls and whimpers. Lucy blinked surprised. Well, barking dogs never bite, right?
Lucy adjusted her purse once again, taking the courage to approach the house once again as soon as she was sure the thing was gone. She stepped the dirty way up to the steps, up to the porch. And there she stood for a few seconds, staring at the dark wood. She gulped. Okay, relax, easy. You can do this, she told herself, rising her hand and pressing the doorbell. And then, nothing happened. For quite a while.
She was assuming Mister Gru was taking a while, after all, he was not able to see anymore, and this house was bigger than she had expected. She rang again. Nothing. Maybe he wasn't home? No, Silas told her he never left the house ever since that incident. Which was one month ago by now.
Lucy waited, and waited. But still, no sign of life. She continued to ring the doorbell and waited, but after five minutes without seeing or hearing anything inside this house, she felt discouraged. Biting her lip, Lucy tried to find a solution – driving back to the AVL? No, that would cost her the mission. Go back home? Rather not, Ramsbottom would find out she wasn't attending the mission anyway. She sighed frustrated, and turned around to leave. Until, suddenly, the door behind her opened. And she looked, quite startled, around to face him.
His face. She knew it. She knew it from the day she heard his name the first time. Pale skin, dark shadows around his eyes, not a single string of hair on his head. And his nose was frighteningly pointy and long and would she take a step further, it would probably poke out her own eye.
She dared to stare back into his eyes. And a tiny gasp escaped her lips. His pupils, pale, grey, dull – lifeless. His left one showed a large crack inside, that ran from his pupil to his eyelid and over his brow. The skin had nearly recovered from the wound – his eyes didn't. The lump in Lucy's throat expanded to the moment she felt like she couldn't breathe. Gru, the villain of all villains, the master of crime and greatest mastermind of this century – he was here, and he couldn't see her. She noticed how sadness, fatigue and deeply hidden hatred were visible on his features. Gru stared back at her, slightly away from her face.
"Who are yu?" he asked in a hoarse, sinister voice that made Lucy quiver.
"M-Mi-Mister Gru?" she stammered, and saw as he turned his head slightly, still looking away from her. "M-Mister Gru, I-I'm L-Lucy Wilde, f-from the caretaker center." She said and was about to draw her fake-ID card, but for what purpose – he couldn't see it anyway. "I—uh, I was sent to you to h-help you a bit a-along, and –"
Haven't I told yu idiots dat I dun't need yur goddamn help?" Gru cut her off. Lucy opened her mouth again, but didn't find a word, so she closed it. Oh dear – he was stubborn. Stay in character, Lucy, c'mon!
"I-I'm uh—" she mumbled helplessly. "M-Mister Gru, you're in need of help, and I can provide it. D-don't worry, I promise you, I won't be a bother. I will clean your house and take care of the chores, and –"
"No." Gru responded, his brows furrowing over narrowed pale eyes. " Mister Gru, listen, I –"
"I said no!" Gru barked back at her, and she nearly stumbled backwards down the stairs. His hand fished for the door, until he had a grip of it. "I dun't need anybody here, I dun't need help, I dun't need a caretaker, and I dun't need yu in particular."
And with that, the man slammed the door shut tight. Lucy was shocked. This was him, what did she expect? He was a villain, cruel, rough – but nevertheless, she felt tears of shock and frustration building up inside her eyes. She took a deep breath, before closing in to the door once again.
"Mister Gru! Mister Gru, please…" she kept talking, hoping dearly that he would hear her. "I know you don't want any help, I can understand – but I want to make sure you'll feel better. I can imagine you had a hard time the last few weeks, that is why I came. I want to make you happy."
Silence. Nothing. Lucy sighed. How dumb of her, talking to a door.
But what else should she do? This mission was so important, she couldn't abort it. No, never. This was her only chance to become a true agent, to become a part of the league. She had to impress Silas by any cost. And now, she felt powerless. She didn't even start her mission, and was already kicked out of his house.
"Mister Gru…" she started again, a bit softer. "Please, please give me a chance. I will not disappoint you, I promise. I will not bother you – it will be like I'm not here at all. You won't notice me, really."
And finally, Lucy felt a nudge at the door, as it opened once again. Her hands rested on her chest as once again, she started back at the blind man.
Eyes disoriented, they scanned the ground and the frame of the door, trying to fix his eyes at the unwelcomed guest.
"Fine." He murmured and turned around, walking back inside. Lucy felt like she was frozen to the spot, eyes watching as his big frame walked down the hallway of his mansion, before he turned around, visibly irritated. "For gods sake, come in a'ready before I change my mind!"
Lucy blinked in surprise, quickly stepping inside and closing the door behind her. She was astonished that he had noticed it in the first place. Looks like his senses of hearing were already trained to hear footsteps. Impressive.
"I-I'll hang my coat on the hat-stand." She informed quickly, only hearing a small "Hmph" from Gru. She quickly scrambled out of her coat, looking around. His house was truly huge. Furniture she never had seen, articles from different places on this earth, hanging from the walls and standing around. Some of them were deadly. Gru wouldn't like it, but Lucy felt obliged to remove such objects at once, before he would hurt himself badly. She watched him, his hands on his back, before it extended to grope for something to orientate himself. He grabbed the doorframe to which seemed like a living room. She followed him inside, noticing the large room, the rhino-chair, the alligator couch, the vast TV and the pot with the dangerous looking carnivorous plant
His style was – strange. And not especially positively. But it was his home and the surrounding he felt accustomed to. Gru's hand never left the wall next to him, not even as he sat down on his armchair next to the open fire. He indicated her to sit as well. Lucy looked around and noticed the couch which was the closest to him.
"Thank you, Mister Gru. For a moment I really didn't know what I should do."
Gru's hands folded on his lap, eyes staring into the emptiness. "Uhm – s-so, uh, as I said before – My name is Lucy, Lucy Wilde. But you can just call me Lucy, if you like."
Gru still didn't answer.
"I was sent after I heard about your – condition. My boss already told me you wouldn't need help, actually, but – it's my job to offer it whenever I can, anyway. I must say, your house – it's…interesting." – "Thanks." Was his only response. "Oh yes, it certainly is. I mean – I had other cases before, but yours is – honestly the coolest."
She covered her mouth from the slip of professionalism and also Gru seemed to arch a brow above white eyes.
"Fo-Forgive me. Uhm…anyway, in future, I will clean for you, cook for you, make sure you can handle the everyday tasks without being able to see. And of course, I'll teach you braille and -"
"I dun't need braille." Gru answered bluntly. "I know exactly how to read vithout eyes."
"O-O-O-of course, M-Mister Gru." Lucy nodded quickly. "A-Anyway, I will make sure your life will be as easy as possible for you, with your new – condition. And uhm – I shall start with doing some changes around the house, if you don't mind. Such as… such as the objects in your house. Many of them are very dangerous, you could hurt yourse-"
"No." Gru shook his head. "No changes around dhe house!"
"Mi-Mister Gru, please understand, Some of these artifacts are seriously harmful. The iron maiden, for example, you could accidentally –"
"No! I said no! No changes, goddamn! Yu will not touch anythin' of my stuff, did yu hear me ?!" Gru growled at her as he rose from his chair, making Lucy jump up from her spot, her knees hardly knocking against a small table. The valuable looking vase on top tumbled and dropped to the floor, shattering into million pieces. Lucy froze in shock and fear, hands covering her mouth. Gru's eyes were fixed on the ground where he heard the crushing of marble. Lucy stared back at him.
"I-I-I'm…I'm s-so-so sorry…" she whispered, watching s Gru's eyes narrowed.
"Wa-wait, I-I'll clean the mess—"
Lucy knelt down and started collecting the pieces, before she suddenly felt a rough hand grabbing her shoulder, pulling her harshly away from the shards.
"Beat it!" he hissed. Lucy fell to the ground, watching as Gru knelt down himself, hands running over the carpet to find the shards and collect them. Lucy felt tears swelling in her eyes, but she repressed them, standing up to approach him again.
"Mister Gru, please stay away, I'll do this—"
"No!" he turned around, eyes fixed on the couch next to her. "I dun't need yur help, I'm not a bloody retard!"
Lucy gulped. "Mister Gru, I never thought of you as a retard."
"Yes, yu bloody did! And yu bloody still du – yu honestly think I can't take care of myself? Dat I need a stranger intrudin' my house and my business?!"
With the shards in his hand, his fist clenched until blood emerged and ran down his fingers. Lucy gasped. "Mister Gru, your hand—"
"Jus' for yur information, yu wannabe nurse. I dun't need yu. Nobody needs yu here!"
And with that, he turned around, carrying the shards off and out of the livingroom.
Lucy was left behind and tears ran down her face without her noticing. The tension has snapped and leaving her, face burning, knees wobbly, eyes watering uncontrollably.
She should leave, she figured. Grabbing her purse, she slowly exited the livingroom, walking down the hallway to grab her coat, put it over her shoulders and heading to the door, slowly opening it. She bit her lip and swore not to do it, but she looked over her shoulder again, hoping to find Mister Gru again. But no. She didn't know where he was. And before she would continue to anger him, she quietly left closing the door behind her.
