IT'SNOTATEAR: Okay, not happy with this chapter. But yet again, staring at it until my eyes bleed does nothing, so here it is.
Chapter 18
The small Chief Manager's office was over-crowded as all the zoo staff elbowed and whispered to one another. Howard was feeling quite claustrophobic by the time Fossil actually began speaking, voice rising to nearly a shout to get everyone's attention.
"Alright, everybody, cool it! Now, I have some important news to give you."
Vince and Howard had been the last to arrive, and thus were crammed against the office door. Vince had one hand on Howard's shoulder for balance as he stood on tip-toe to try and see over everyone. Howard felt sympathy for the kid; still too small to see over crowds, but too big to haul up onto his shoulders like a tot. Well, Howard could see all the way to Fossil, and wanted to tell the kid that he wasn't missing much.
"As you may have noticed, our beloved marmosets are missing. Now, there is no reason to panic just yet. They might've just gone into another enclosure or something. Maybe they'll show up by the end of the day..."
The rest of Fossil's speech was drowned out by the simultaneous voices of Howard, Gideon and Moose, the only keepers who really seemed to give a fuck.
"What do you mean missing?"
"How the hell do you loose three marmosets?"
"Do you know who the culprit is?"
The other staff were all speaking up as well, but more along the lines of "This is his important news?" or "I got up early for this shit?" and "They're just marmosets."
Fossil waved his hands erratically in the air, shouting once again.
"Alright alright, everybody. Cool it! Geeze. Alright, here's the fast version. We're gonna search the entire zoo for those furry little shits, and if we don't find them I want an extra keeper out at the gate with Graham every night. You can all take turns.
Now the room really was in an uproar. Fossil had to practically scream out that the meeting was over and for everyone to get looking. And if Howard thought he felt crushed before, that was nothing compared to when all the bodies in the room suddenly turned toward him and began pushing their way past him and out the door. One such berk bashed Howard sharply on the shoulder, and he completely lost track of the poor kid.
Once the tidal wave had cleared, it was just Howard standing in the room with Fossil, who was ignoring him completely. Outside the building was where Howard relocated Vince, who had his hands over his nose. When he felt Howard's hand on his back, he turned slightly wet eyes up at him, anger in his muffled voice.
"Are the dicks who work here like this all the time!? Shit, thought they were gonna trample me like cattle if I didn't move with 'em! And one bitch caught me nose with her elbow!"
"Language. Here, let me see."
Vince let his hands drop, and Howard leaned down to inspect the boy's face. His nose was very red, but no blood could be seen. Howard stood straight and gave the boy a smile and pat on the back. He looked around, and was relieved to see the other keepers actually following instruction and searching around in all the other exhibits, as well as buildings and in the bins. Howard took Vince by the arm and began heading to the other end of the zoo to begin their search.
Twenty-five minutes later found Howard standing tensely below a tree, arms out as if that would be of any help if the teen up said tree fell. Howard had had no say in the situation; Vince had simply begun scrambling up a nearby tree after they had thoroughly searched out four different exhibits, only finding the animals belonging to each cage, angered and confused at having their homes raided so early in the morning.
"Come down!"
Howard couldn't help but call up for the dozenth time, knowing he sounded like a clucking mother hen but unable to stop himself. It would be just his luck to have the kid take a misstep somewhere up there and break his scrawny neck.
Thankfully Vince didn't call back down with yet another "in a bit!" or "they might be up 'ere!" Instead Howard was relieved the see the boy's faded trousers appear through the foliage. He released a deep breath and relaxed his shoulders once the boy had both feet safely back on the ground. He gave Howard a weird look as he turned and began marching toward another large tree. Howard scrambled after him, hands making flailing and grabbing motions against his will. Really, he needed to get ahold of himself! If the boy wanted to go breaking bones on tree limbs, that was his business. He wasn't the boy's father, for christ's sake.
Howard clacked his teeth against the words pushing their way out against them, and stood straight, arms against his sides as Vince began scaling up another tree. Howard held his breath and dug his nails into his palms while Vince rustled around the top of the old tree, searching for the missing animals. Just as Howard's arms were beginning to twitch and his lungs burn, the kid came dropping down suddenly from a low branch, landing skillfully on his feet. He gave Howard a shrug and frown.
"They're not up there, either. Where could they've gone?"
Howard was too busy letting in a deep breath to answer, and so mutely shook his head in reply. But when Vince made to reach up for the high hanging branch of a third tree, Howard wrenched him nearly off his feet by the collar of his jacket.
Vince made a sound of surprise and glared up at Howard before yanking his collar out of the man's grasp and pausing, before marching toward an exhibit instead. Howard followed silently, surprised at himself as much as the kid was, but also quite happy that the boy was obeying his show of authority. His smug sense of satisfaction was erased when he registered what cage door Vince was opening.
He once again grabbed the kid by his Keeper's jacket collar, yanking him back and causing him to elbow Howard sharply in the stomach. It was a testament to how angry Vince was that he didn't apologise, but stood with arms crossed as Howard caught his breath.
"What now!?"
"You can't go in there, that's Bollo's cage. That damned ape hates all men. Nearly tore my flippin' head off last time I got near him!"
The corner of Vince's mouth tugged up as he uncrossed his arms and tilted his head, as if Howard were some senile old fool from a horror film, warning off the main characters from visiting the creepy castle.
"Howard Howard Howard, you forget, I ca-"
"Talk to animals, yes I know, Vince, but this animal isn't one for chit-chat, alright? He's more than twice your size and twice your strength. I mean it, let's go search another enclosure."
Vince got a look of reluctant defeat in his eyes, and Howard felt smug once again as he turned and led the way a few yards over to the lemur exhibit. Turning to give the boy a pat on the shoulder, Howard's outstretched hand met thin air, and with a cold chill running up his veins, he saw the door to the gorilla's cage close with a snap. Howard cursed and bolted for the cage door, only to reel back from actually opening it. He instead ran around to the other side, where the inside was visible through thick bars, shouting the entire time.
"Shit! Vince! You get out here right now! I'm gon-"
His throat closed over his next words as he took the sight in. Vince sat calmly on the leafy exhibit floor, and beside him was Bollo, who's hands were roaming over Vince's jacket, fingering the chains and buttons. Vince was talking quietly to him, words Howard couldn't calm down enough to make out. He couldn't bloody well believe it!
The ancient ape's hands were now running through Vince's hair, as if to groom him. The gorilla seemed genuinely happy to have someone pay him a bit of attention, seeing as only three female keepers worked at the zoo and they rarely payed him any mind, and any men who came close were screeched at.
But here Bollo was, entirely ignoring Howard's presence, involved completely and utterly in Vince, who grinned up at Howard.
"See? Told you I'd get on with him! He's not so bad once you get talkin' with him. And here you doubted me and my ability. Told you I had a way with animals!"
'That or he thinks you're a girl.'
Howard just stood there blinking down at the teen, who turned back to Bollo, continuing their 'conversation', marmosets forgotten. Howard eventually threw his hands into the air as a sign of defeat for Vince, the earth, and god to see, before walking off to continue the search on his own.
The search continued on for the better part of the morning, before Fossil's voice came blaring over the speakers, stating that the search was over, and for everyone to resume their stations. The zoo had been closed for the day, so the keepers could spend extra time catching up on their daily schedules.
Howard assumed they hadn't located the missing marmosets, otherwise Fossil would've immediately opened the zoo back up for the afternoon. Heading back toward Bollo's enclosure, Howard crossed paths with Mrs. Gideon. He immediately felt sweat gather on his brow, and it took him a moment to gather his voice.
"H-hi there, Mrs. Gideon. Search, uh, go well?"
Gideon paused in her trek back to the Reptile House, turning to Howard and smiling, which caused the man to flush terribly. Hopefully she didn't notice.
"Oh, hello Howard! I've searched high and low, but no marmosets! Who knows where they have gone."
Vince chose this moment to appear from around a corner. He grinned as he spotted Howard, running up to his side and giving Gideon a polite nod. He had yet to properly meet the woman. Indeed, since his employment Howard had kept Vince well away from the other staff as much as he could. There were even parts of the zoo the kid hadn't been to yet! Okay, so Howard was being overly sheltering. But the shady bastards who worked here were most certainly not the type he wanted Vince to be exposed to. Now Mrs. Gideon, on the other hand, was a lady Howard had been meaning to introduce the kid to for weeks!
"Vince, this is Elisabeth Gideon. Mrs. Gideon, this is-"
"Vince Noir."
The boy interrupted, smiling up at the taller woman, who gave Vince's attire and hair a strange look, but smiled and nodded her head politely before turning back to Howard.
"Do you suppose someone might've stolen them? Oh, imagine that, a thief entering the zoo at night, making off with animals! I'm going to put extra locks on my snakes' homes when I leave."
Howard's tongue felt swollen in his mouth, and his reply was short and half-muttered. Damn, you'd think after all these years he'd actually be able to hold a decent conversation with the woman! She must think him a total loser.
But if Gideon noticed Howard's awkwardness, she made no mention of it, simply smiled sweetly at him before heading off to her precious snakes. Howard stared after her with a grin slapped across his face before coming back to the present and erasing it quickly. He looked down at the boy, who was also staring after Gideon, but with a blank expression. Quick as a whip, his head turned up to look Howard in the eyes, features seeming sharper than normal.
"Do you fancy her?"
'Blunt little biter.'
"W-what!? That's not the kind of question you just throw at someone, Little Man! Now come on, we'd better see to our own animals."
Vince didn't reply, but followed after Howard as the man led the way to the small frogs and lizards. There Howard left the boy standing over the glass cages, looking lost in thought. Howard wanted to ask what had come over him, but decided to just bring it up later. He turned and quickly walked to his own station.
Howard entered the hut to find Vince slouching on the sofa, knees drawn up and a tattered black notebook leaning against them. He was scribbling furiously, pausing to glance Howard's way before bringing his legs higher, pencil continuing to move. Howard stood in the doorway, transfixed by the sight of the kid actually quietly writing something in a notebook. He would've grinned and happily asked what it was the boy was writing if it weren't for the dour look about him.
Something about him made Howard approach slowly. The air between them held an unseen static, different to any kind Howard had felt before. Howard shook his head, mentally berating himself for acting on as if something were wrong. The kid was just writing, for god's sake! Nothing terrible had happened lately, unless- wait, what if Bollo had gone off on Vince when Howard left? Oh god, Howard had left him alone with that giant behemoth! Howard calmed himself and sat down beside the boy, close enough that their legs brushed lightly, eyes skittering up and down the boy for signs of injury. Seeing nothing Howard forced himself to breath evenly. He peppered his voice with nonchalance.
"Hey, Little Man, what are you writing? A diary?"
"No, not a diary. 'M not a little girl. It's a story, er, well, a series, that I've been working on for like two years now."
"Series? As in a book series?"
Wow. Once again Howard was taken aback at the kid's surprise intelligence, and once again he felt bad for feeling surprised in the first place. Vince nodded, and seemed to loosen up a bit at Howard's positive attention. The man noticed this, and made sure his face and voice showed nothing but contentment and interest in Vince's writings.
"Yeah, it's about this man named Charlie. Only, he ain't really a man, you see, he's made up of loose bubblegum. And he-"
"Loose bubblegum?"
Howard couldn't help the face he pulled, but Vince didn't seem to care, as he grinned and carried on.
"Yeah, he's all skeletal underneath, but you'd never know it for the massive wads of gum on 'im. He's molded into the shape of like a slug or somethin', and he has amazing adventures! He's genius!"
"Really? Ur-well, what adventure is he on now?"
Howard gestured at the paper littered with scribbles in handwriting so horrid Howard couldn't make a single full word out. Vince's grin shrunk slightly and he lifted the notebook once again, obscuring it from view with his legs. He stared down at it and played with the small pencil between his fingers.
"Well, nothin' much right now. Just...thinking about stuff. 'S nothin' important. He'll go on another adventure soon, though! When I write another, do you wanna read it? I don't really have any of the old ones. Y'see, I photo-copy 'em and leave 'em around markets. But if you want, you can be the first to read my next story."
This prospect seemed to please Vince greatly as his mega-watt smile came on like a light, and as ludicrous as this Charlie character sounded, Howard couldn't help but smile back and feel just a tiny bit excited to read the kid's writing. After all, how horrible could a bloke made of blubblegum be?
Three nights into the double guard duty, it was now Howard's turn. Vince had yet to have his first shift, and Howard had to practically staple him to his bed before he could leave the Lodge in peace. The kid wanted to come with him, of all ideas! Howard wasn't having it. It was bad enough that he'd be a walking zombie come morning, he certainly didn't want the kid falling over himself as well.
Howard was in such an awful mood. He really, really didn't want to spend an entire night with Graham. As he zipped up his heavy brown coat, already shivering despite the hut's relative warmth, he tried desperately to find an answer to Vince's persistent questioning that would satisfy the little blighter.
"Why can't I come along? Oh please, Howard! I don't wanna be in here all by myself!"
He continued to rant and pace in circles around Howard as the fed up man pulled his shoes on. Vince had been rabbiting on like this for the better half of the day since they were informed it was Howard's shift. At first he had been comforting and patient, offering up a well of excuses and reasons why Vince couldn't tag along. But the daylight outside had grown thin, and so had Howard's patience, and before he could control himself he was snapping, whipping around to face the boy with a shout, raising his hand up into the air. Howard's intention of giving the kid a good smack was halted immediately by the slight flinch Vince made and how he stepped back from the taller man.
"Stop! Alright? Stop it, Vince. You...you can't come with me, alright, you just can't! Now you need to get in bed and go to sleep. Now."
He pointed the raised arm at the bunk bed, holding firm even though he really wanted to apologise for frightening the boy. He raised his eyebrows, and that got Vince moving. The boy hurriedly walked across the floor and climbed up into the top bunk, giving Howard a quick glance before curling up on his side, facing the wall and pulling the mass of blankets over him. He said nothing more, and the silence rang out deafeningly.
Howard lowered his arm, stood there for a few minutes, and then with a great huff he walked out the door, closing it quietly behind him.
This wasn't the first time Howard had yelled at Vince, and it wasn't the first time he had had the strong urge to strike him, either. Howard knew he had anger issues; yet another gift acquired from his father. The old man would practically pop a vein if someone said something he disagreed with or something didn't follow his well-constructed plans. He most certainly didn't want to become his father, yelling and throwing crockery across the kitchen at his mother. His father had never hit his mother, thankfully, but his rage was the strongest reason he was now living alone in Leeds, and why Howard had not contacted him in almost eight years.
Howard himself had gotten into quite a few scrapes in his youth as well as his years at this zoo on account of his short fuse, but he always managed to keep it in check around the boy. Well, what with them living together, Howard couldn't be expected to have patience all the damn time, could he?
He didn't acknowledge Ghraham beyond tapping on the gate to get him to open up, and he completely ignored the man's questions as to his identity as well as when his "help for the night would arrive". He simply stared off into the black sky, thinking.
His intention of Vince getting a good night's rest backfired spectacularly. If anything the kid seemed more nackered than Howard. The man flinched as soon as he laid eyes on the boy, already dressed and heading out the door as Howard was making his way back to the Lodge to wake him. He didn't see Howard, and the man didn't call out to him, simply stood and watched the boy stumble toward his station.
Great, now Howard felt like an asshole. But what on earth could cause the kid to look as if he'd not slept a wink?Surely the kid understood that Howard was only looking out for him. Yes, Howard was a control-freak; he'd admitted that to himself long ago. But he'd thought the kid knew and accepted this as well. Hmm, maybe he'd gone a bit too far with the yelling last night? But he'd shouted more at the boy before...surely he can't've scared the kid!
But what if he was? Howard's paranoia kicked into high-gear, his thoughts spiraling as he stood in place before the Lodge. What if the boy was now realising what a nutjob Howard was. What if he thought the man was much too dangerous to be around, to live with! Why, he'd very nearly struck the kid almost a dozen times now! And almost each time Vince had leaned away or flinched slightly, and Howard was always left feeling frustrated at himself and at the boy for acting on as if Howard were an alien or something!
What if he finally decided he wanted to move out, move away and back to him old home and back to his old life and old friends? Howard wasn't sure he could let him. Howard didn't think he could go back to the solitude and silence of the Lodge. If the kid tried to pack up and run, Howard would...he'd...he'd tie the little shit to the sofa!
No, he wouldn't. He'd cry like a bitch and lay on the floor for two to three weeks. The kid...the kid needed to stay here. How would he survive in the world outside these zoo gates!? No one else could watch over him like Howard did, of that the man was certain.
Howard was now convinced the child's madness had rubbed off on him. He was now officially insane. Ah well, at least this way they could request joined padded cells.
Startled from his thoughts by Fossil's morning announcement, Howard set off for his own place in the zoo, forgetting about the shower he had planned on.
Howard Moon speed-walked toward the Keeper Lodge. It was lunch hour, and he was starving. Walking through the front door and into the kitchen, Howard grabbed his thermos and brown bag from inside the fridge.
The zoo no longer had the funds to hire a chef to feed the keepers anymore. Now it was up to a few staff members who were either loyal enough or skint enough to cook for the rest of them, getting a bonus to their salaries for it. Howard personally always prepared his own lunch, not trusting the likes of Naboo when it came to anything he was ingesting. The downside was he always had to run to the Lodge to fetch it before running all the way back to their chosen spot, thus Vince was always there before him.
Said chosen spot was a small creaky bench underneath the main office window. Why there of all benches Howard wasn't sure, but Vince always seemed to like it. Howard supposed it was due to the music that would often drift down to them from inside Fossil's office room.
Upon rounding the corner of the building, Howard could see Vince eating a sandwich. He seemed more alert, and his silent wariness from last night had seemingly vanished. Now he just looked sulky. Good, Howard could deal with sulky. At least he wasn't angry enough to spend lunch alone.
The kid didn't look up at the man as he sat down on the old bench, paper bag in hand. Howard shifted silently, casting about for something to say. Usually Vince was the first to strike up conversation, but when he was in a sulk like this, Howard was left to break the ice.
"Why don't you just make something for lunch like I do? I don't like you eating that rubbish from the kiosk, god knows what's in it. Hell, I'll make your lunch for you."
"'s fine, Howard. And it's not rubbish. Just cause you don't like the people who work here don't mean they're out to poison us. Besides, I like Naboo, he tells great stories."
Howard grimaced. Yet another example of his deranged attempt at keeping Vince from the other keepers failing. He really didn't want Vince ever talking with Naboo or anyone that slime associated with. Against his will, Howard's mind conjured up images of Naboo offering Vince drugs and taking him to gatherings with his shady cohorts. Howard chased the imaginings away and hastily withdrew his own lunch, a tupperware of spaghetti, and began fishing around the bag for his fork. He huffed, mouth opening before he could stop it, voice harsher than he intended.
"Well I don't like it."
From the corner of his vision Howard could see Vince finally look over at him. He couldn't see his expression though, but he was not turning his head to look. He just began eating, letting the silence coat them for nearly five minutes. This time it was Vince who's quiet voice broke the spell, filled with an understanding that made Howard look him in the face despite his reluctance.
"You don't have to be so overprotective, y'know. I ain't stupid. I know how to look after myself, Howard. Been doing it my whole life. 'M not a kid anymore. I know you still think I am. Can see it in you, but I'm not-"
"Yes you are. Vince, your fifteen. You're still a bloody kid."
Vince smiled at Howard, face filled with an odd mixture of fondness toward the older man and bitterness at something far off and away.
"Tell that to all the kids I grew up with. All outta the house now with jobs and payments. Some even married. Most with little kids of their own. 'S scary to think about. Y'know, Leroy's girlfriend's havin' a baby. I'm well excited. Leroy though, he's gonna shit 'imself when it happens."
Vince laughed lowly at that for a moment, and Howard was relieved to see that the kid seemed at ease now. He could still feel a slight flush on his neck from the embarrassment of what he'd just said in the past few minutes. He really didn't like getting all open and feely to anyone. But he just felt like he had to say these things to Vince sometimes. Letting out a long sigh, the man supposed it was alright to open up, maybe. He supposed. Only if it was to the kid, and only once every blue moon.
(Howard's a bit extreme in this one, but that's just how he is. He's got a temper problem, as well as a control issue. This together makes for a very rocky relationship between himself and Vince. And Howard also has the nasty habit of letting his paranoid thoughts spiral too often. He's so ruled by his emotions he just lets them get away from him. It's something that I always picked up on in the series, and wanted to represent it here in this fic.
I dearly hope everyone's 'reading between the lines' of this story, and pick up on a few of the very subtle things I put in it, especially in future chapters and the coming sequels. Don't bash your heads in searching, though, as they are incredibly subtle, and mostly just there as shadows in the story's overall image.)