Reviews :
ThoreLB : You're definitely right! I've been successful in ignoring, but I wasn't so lucky in grade school. My adult life has been easier, but it still sucks either way.
Burgie : Yeah, it does suck being the favorite. I went through seasons where I was a target, and seasons where I flew under the radar, but it's all relative - it all sucked haha. And yes, you're right, Gideon's challenge with this unfortunately isn't linear. He goes through a lot of really tough life lessons.
Song Listened To :
Re: Stacks by Bon Iver
*Chapter 56*
In the brisk, late fall afternoon wind, Vanellope unfurled from Ralph's gooey embrace and romantic antics so to source Gideon outside. With narrowed eyes that soaked across their backyard, she sagged her shoulders and noted that Gideon and Novus were standing and quietly chit-chatting with one another. With a crunch of her shoes to drying, dying fall grass, Vanellope began to power across the backyard so to join their conversation, though as she got closer, she tenderly slowed and felt her smile drop in a sag of impending sorrow. Gideon messily wiped his face with his bigger hand, shrugged, gestured his free hand outward and looked to be ushering Novus a statement of defeated sorrow, the look on his face was enough to tell that he was heavily leaning into Novus's comfort, here, and stepping in on them would likely not be warranted at this time. Vanellope scuffed her heels to a halt, though she grimaced in irritation at herself as this caused Novus's huge ears to twitch at the sound and loft his curious blue gaze over his fluffy shoulder and mane.
"It's your mom," Novus ushered softly, he sagged his bigger shoulders and peered back to Gideon as Gideon visibly sagged in further defeat, rubbed his face free of tears and huffed a shaky, nasally noise of acknowledgement.
"It's okay," Gideon's deep voice grumbled, he had his broad back pressed against his dry paint wall with Novus stood between him and Vanellope, across the way. Gideon opened his palms and tenderly carried on as his glassy eyes aimlessly glossed the skin of his hands, the power held underneath them had him double thinking a lot of things. His husky voice carried on in a heftier rasp than normal, "I've given up trying to hold back tears, it's too hard."
"If I could weasel my way past Academy doors, you know I'd give his guy a piece of my mind," Novus grumbled as his big ears softened, he eyed Gideon in certainty, as if to assure Gideon that he was ready to go to war for him, to treat Gideon as a true brother and stand by him, no matter what, "You're my best friend, Gid, I wouldn't let him get away with it."
"I wouldn't have had I not been so embarrassed," Gideon muttered through his teeth as Vanellope bravely stepped out of the grass and into the cobbles, closer to both boys.
"I'm not interrupting, am I?" Vanellope's gentle voice pressed, it bounced against the wall Gideon was solidified to, and though Gideon shook his head and looked down, it wasn't before his shy, wet eyes tossed his mother a very brief look of plea, a lightning quick show of a mental SOS he was praying she'd catch; how desperate he was to not be outward about negative feelings that had cropped up in his heart.
"No, we're just..." Novus started, his fluffy chest inhaled a deep breath, to which he lazily glossed his eyes to Gideon and began to look defeated, as well. He carried on through his heavy exhale, "Trying to think of ways to rise above the stupid people at school."
"Stupid people?" Vanellope prod, though with the way Gideon looked off in mild embarrassment, Vanellope stiffened a little and very quickly gathered an obvious that hit her square between the eyes. Gideon stood hunched within himself, shy to come out with saying he needed help, it was clear he was greatly struggling with something, though with the strange switch up of very skillfully reserving it, Vanellope long-blinked in delirious surprise and could recall instances where Gideon was rather loud and proud about things that upset him. Somewhere along the line, he learned that clamming up served him better, though Vanellope was eager to make clear that it was doing the opposite for hi well-being, "Bud, talk to me. You know I'm a safe place. What's going on at school?"
"It's... Nothing I can't handle, mom, just this one jerk that can't keep his mouth shut," Gideon tenderly guffawed, he shook his head, his glistening, wet, golden eyes so lovingly narrowed in a heart melting squeeze of apologetic smiling into Vanellope's concerned stare, his broad chest expanded as he took in a breath and fiddled his bigger fingers together. The downswing of his eyes, to his fingers, had Vanellope scanning his broad chest and collar in hurried contemplation as Gideon lazily carried on, "I'm sure it'll all be better once we start traveling classes... I think being cooped up in the same room with him, for eight hours straight, isn't doing anything for anyone."
"Have you told your counselor about this?" Vanellope crossed her arms and tried not to come across too sharply or anxiously. Novus eyed Gideon in soft knowing, to which Vanellope sent a searching glance his way.
"Yeah, I've told Flint, it's under control," Gideon dismissed as gently as he could, a formidable wall he was building around the structure of his fragile heart, Vanellope did what she could to not panic.
"You sure?" Vanellope cocked an eyebrow and sneakily shot Novus a look before she stabbed her equally as fiery gaze into Gideon's, "Cause I'll fight a bitch, I don't care who it is."
Gideon and Novus suddenly choked out laughter with the revival of their spirits, and with Gideon's desperate attempt to mask his smile, he widely grinned down to his hands as his chest heaved with choked laughter. Novus perked his ears high and gestured out to Gideon as the group grew in liveliness.
"That's EXACTLY what I said," Novus assured, he nudged Vanellope's upper arm and sharply whispered to her, "Why don't you and I just show up unannounced."
"That'd go over well," Vanellope muttered through a grin, though as everyone tenderly settled into warmer auras and smiles, Vanellope furrowed her brow and took a smaller step closer to Gideon, "I trust you can handle yourself with grace and kindness, Gideon... I know you're a wrecker, and I understand how hard it could be to quell the urge to, well..."
"... Wreck the shit out of someone?" Gideon braved; although he was usually scolded for cussing, Vanellope grinned, crossed her arms and looked off as she bobbed a sarcastic nod and bit the tip of her tongue through her smile.
"Tell'yah what," Vanellope smartly started, she looked down to her feet and scuffed the ground, "Your father and I were given this new drink recipe from your aunt Taffyta. It includes chocolate covered strawberries paired with it and it sounded amazing. We were gunna wait until you went to bed, to have some, but..."
Gideon raised an eyebrow in tender warmth and froze; although still under the drinking age for self programmed gamers, which was the one year mark, he felt his heart jump with the impending idea of his parents potentially letting him have a little bit of freedom at home.
"Gideon gets bullied and gets alcohol in return?" Novus barked, clearly jealous, though Vanellope flagged her hand at his snout, causing him to jolt a step or two back in giggling cuteness.
"Oh, hush, it's just one drink, Gideon's old enough to make smart decisions and enjoy a toast," Vanellope rushed in authority, she shook her head, "Besides, don't act jealous, your kind can't even TASTE alcohol."
"Not fair," Novus mumbled cutely, though Gideon felt as if he should be giddy with devious excitement, he strangely felt warmth and acceptance coat his soul.
"C'mon... Dad grabbed take out, let's have a drink and hang out," Vanellope. snipped in Gideon's direction with a warm, welcoming smile, to which Gideon was still frozen in confusion.
"You're not... I mean, you're serious?" Gideon staggered in smiling concern, to which Vanellope furrowed her brow and playfully looked around.
"Your name IS Gideon, right?" Vanellope wondered loudly, to which Gideon grinned his typical, heart-melting, handsome smile and looked off. Vanellope swat his chest and began to back-track, "C'mon. Novus, y'coming too?"
"Why not," Novus drawled cutely as him and Gideon began to hurriedly follow after Vanellope, "Is this whole... Drinking thing to remain on the down low?"
"Novus, it's just one drink, I'm not going to let Gideon get absolutely trashed," Vanellope muttered cutely as Gideon and Novus tailed after Vanellope like puppies.
"What if I don't like it?" Gideon worried, Vanellope shrugged and flicked her long black hair over her shoulder.
"Well, there's soda in the fridge. You don't have to like it, just figured you'd probably had a hard day, you're old enough to be responsible with it," Vanellope stated cooly as the three made their way onto their bigger back patio deck and to the back door of their home, under the droves of lovely foliage that draped the overhang, "I'd rather Gideon drink in the safety of his own home than out User knows where."
"I had a classmate sneak some in his locker," Gideon muttered nervously, though he smiled through his end statement, "He flushed it down the toilet before they could catch him with it."
"Exhibit A., I don't want you doing stupid shit that'll get you kicked out of school," Vanellope grumbled as all three beings stepped inside and crossed the living and dining area, straight to the kitchen, where Ralph lazily stood scrolling on his bigger phone.
"Whose getting kicked out of school?" Ralph mumbled, he cocked an eyebrow and kept his eyes glued to what he was doing as he playfully carried on, "Better not be Gideon Fox."
"Sorry dad, it's true," Gideon grunted as glee, warmth and happiness began to return to his heart. He pressed his bigger hands to the island's counter and eagerly smiled up into Ralph's eyes, "Mom said I could have a drink."
"No, I said you could have a drink, I'm the one that convinced your mother to allow it," Ralph grunted, he shot Vanellope a smile as she rolled her eyes and shook her head in disagreeing, "Figured you're old enough to enjoy one with us. Besides, Taffyta won't shut up about this new recipe, so... Figured having a third tester would give her a good report back."
"For science, we're gathering information," Vanellope hissed as she dramatically widened her hand over the few bottles of liquor on the kitchen island.
"Bust out the beakers and notepads," Novus urged as he sat next to Gideon, on his rump, whilst Gideon stood in an antsy little jostle on the balls of his feet.
"How was your day, bud, tell us," Ralph encouraged, he set his phone down and gently grapple the neck of one of the nearby bottles of liquor. In pressing closer to his new chore, he furrowed his brow and began to nonchalantly scan the ingredient list Taffyta had made for Ralph and Vanellope.
"Eh, it... Could be better," Gideon mumbled, he lazily twiddled his thumbs and tossed a knowing, defeated side-eye in Novus's direction; he equally huffed a hard noise through his bat snout, flattened his ears in begrudged stewing and looked off.
"... Well, it's enough to piss off your guard dog, there," Ralph grunted with a laugh as he raised one eyebrow and tossed Novus a cheeky look, to which Novus bowed to in the form of boyish, smiling deflation.
"Just... Some classmates that won't stop picking on me, but it's... Fine. I'll be alright," Gideon huffed a shaky breath and was well aware he could crumple in a continuous vat of frustration, though he stuffed it and stiffened his upper lip in a show of maturely navigating these raw emotions that had cropped up over time, "I was telling mom that it'll be much better once we start traveling classes."
"Right, that's soon, isn't it?" Ralph bobbed a nod and smiled into Gideon's eyes, though he sharply furrowed his eyebrows, snatched the list from the counter and wildly flagged it in Vanellope's direction, "Was Taffyta drunk while she wrote this?"
"I wouldn't put it past her," Vanellope muttered in girly giggling as she began to reach for specific glass tumblers from a higher cabinet above the stove.
"It nearly doesn't make sense, but... I'll do my best," Ralph grumbled with a shrug and a smile, to which he returned his eyes to Gideon, "Well, son, you just remind them who your father is..."
"They know," Gideon huffed shakily as he opened his palms in defeated sadness, as if previously being related to the big, great Wreck-It Ralph himself was something Gideon treasured, though now that nearly all of his features were being made fun of, because of said relation, Gideon felt a pang of guilt stab into his heart as he caught eyes with his father, "I-I'm trying not to be too hard on myself, but... It's hard with all the stabby comments."
"What, they just poke fun at your bigger hands and feet?" Ralph grumbled, he rolled his eyes and shot Vanellope a cheeky smile, "So original. You know they have nothing better to do, right? I mean, how obvious can you be. Whenever I get someone ready to mock me about my bigger appearance, I just cut them at the quick and ask if they're bored. Disarming words, y'know?"
"I never really considered that they could be bored," Gideon stated aloud, though almost in Novus's direction, to which he, too, peered to Gideon in soft, bewildered realization.
"Yeah, I mean, it could be a mixture of a lot. Boredom, terrible home life, maybe they're insecure about their own appearance and are just taking it out on you," Ralph shrugged, "They're jealous. You're related to a huge, scary bad guy, yet you're kind and are making friends and getting an education. You're well rounded, and that's something not a lot of gamers have."
"Just rise above, bud, do YOU feel like your hands and feet are too big?" Vanellope dryly wondered, to which Gideon shrugged and glanced in his father's direction; clearly donning much huger features.
"Well, no, I mean... There are certain tasks that are harder and made me wish I had smaller hands for that one instance, but otherwise, no," Gideon huffed, he shook his head and weakly smiled in his parent's direction, "It's just weird having it pointed out. I don't point out anyone else's business."
"Damn, I do, sometimes," Ralph grumbled darkly, he shook his head and continued on preparing just what he needed for the drinks he was about to prepare, though Vanellope began to step in and help him, "I mean, it's not technically the high road, but if I want someone off my case, sometimes I'll fight back."
"Your father is not encouraging you to bully people back," Vanellope muttered in a drone of irritation as she shot Ralph a sharp, knowing side-eye; Ralph rolled his eyes and slumped his shoulders in defeat as Novus and Gideon erupted in boyish laughter.
"I am if it's in the form of defending yourself," Ralph argued, he looked to Gideon and cutely shook his head, "Let's just say, it's a good thing Academy mutes powers."
"The whole place would be wrecked to the ground, if not," Gideon only joked, though he grit his teeth and looked off in brief, sheepish understanding, the very thoughts and dark ideas that ran through his mind earlier, whilst he was in a heightened state of emotion, came rushing back to him in a swathe of guilt.
"Just... Rise above, you're cooler and better than them and they know it," Vanellope shrugged her cute shoulders, she shook up a drink for Gideon and skillfully poured said deliciousness into a frosty glass. Upon tenderly handing it over, and standing close, she lovingly smiled into Gideon's eyes and was eager to assess just how he liked it, "Alright... I didn't give you this, your father and I are simply enjoying a drink together and together only. Do not go to school and brag about this rare instance, here, deal?"
"Deal, mom, the only person that'd care would be Chase," Gideon mumbled cutely as he delicately took the glass from his mother, and upon a careful swig, he bugged his eyes, tilted his head and smacked his lips with a look of being rocked from the shock and sourness of it all, "Geez, you guys actually enjoy this? This is straight-gasoline."
"You been drinking gasoline, son? How do you know what gasoline tastes like," Ralph, Vanellope and Novus erupted into hard laughter.
"It's fruity," Vanellope shrugged in smiling complaint, to which Gideon finally raised his eyes in delightful surprise and looked off.
"Oh, it has a nice after taste. That first sip is gross, though, blech," Gideon stuck out his tongue and eyed said deliciously devious drink, as if to contemplate if he wanted more or not.
"Well, it's yours, you can either take it or leave it," Ralph shrugged as he began to pour himself one, "You're almost ten months, bud, surely there has to be something exciting going on at school, right?"
"Well, yeah, that's when traveling classes starts, in a week and a half," Gideon mumbled, he fingered the rim of his frosty drink as Novus's snout took a good few sniffles at it, "There's also... An art competition coming up."
"OH! Please enter," Vanellope's whole demeanor lit up, her twinkling hazel eyes glued to Gideon's in riled excitement, "Please, Giddy, please enter, you're going to, aren't you?"
"I was thinking about it," Gideon shyly looked down to Novus and bobbed a hesitant nod, "They're allowing qualifying artists to one slab of wall on Pre-A's grounds, in the quad. I think there's about twenty slots for competing, I figure it'll be fun."
"Yeah, meet some new artsy, like-minded people," Vanellope heavily encouraged, feeling relieved, she bobbed a nod and tapped the counter in anticipatory excitement, "Well, is there a show? Or some way we can attend to come see?"
"Pretty sure there's an award show, yeah," Gideon bobbed an excited nod and gripped his ice-cold glass, in preparation to brave another sip, "Would be fun to invite everyone, I mean... I-If no one is too busy."
"Just give us a time and date, my guy, we'll be there," Ralph confidently assured with a loving smile, to which Vanellope easily fell into as well.
Gideon braved another sip of his drink, to which the second hit wasn't so brutal. He sagged his shoulders and relished in the taste, in which Novus cutely nudged Gideon's upper arm in boyish knowing. Gideon huffed a chuckle and got lost in thought the second Ralph and Vanellope began to briefly bicker about something unimportant, and though Gideon felt his heart well with excitement over the idea of his whole family attending said impending art show, he furrowed his eyebrows and felt a pang of guilt come over him. Somehow, the desire to have all eyes on him was beginning to become masked with the weird, thorny settlement of beginning to believe he maybe didn't deserver it. In the desperation to act happy, he took another swig of his drink and lulled his eyes closed in a long-blink of confusion. He wondered if said art show would be able to potentially reverse these feelings, the sight of his family all cheering and smiling back at him whether he won or not, he hoped this was the one instance he needed to get back on top and feel right in the world, once more.
