Author's Note: Welp, that was a long break. We happy to be back? I sure hope so, because this is a nice feel good chapter with a special guest star right at the beginning! So get comfortable everybody, and enjoy! :D
This chapter takes place the night of Chapter 5, so it's a direct continuation.
"Secret agent?!" Elisa choked out between bouts of laughter. "Why would you tell him that?!" she cackled while slapping her knee, tears prickling the corner of her tightly shut eyes.
"I didn't exactly have a lot of options, lass" Hudson answered, staring her down with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. Unfortunately, his embarrassed blush wasn't going anywhere, no matter how badly he wanted to appear apathetic in this moment. "Wouldja quit yer cacklin' and help me?" he implored in a hushed tone, grabbing Elisa's shoulders and giving her a light jostle in an effort to silence her uproar. It had the opposite effect.
"Hey, what's funny?" Lex called from inside the clock tower, a childlike hurt in his voice at being left out of the merriment.
"Nothin'!" Hudson quickly called back in a panic, the growing blush causing his voice to crack a bit.
Elisa clutched her stomach as she gasped for air, an open grin plastered on her face, while Hudson led her further away from the clock face entrance of their home. He'd never stopped to think about how silly and ridiculous his predicament was, mainly because he couldn't get over the fact that he'd acquired a human friend at all. But he also had no idea what a secret agent was in the first place, so when he went along with Robbins's assessment of who he and the clan were, he thought it was a convenient cover. A blessing bestowed on him from the ever-surprising Robbins, one of many, he made sure to note.
And now, faced with the reality of needing to bolster this cover, he turned to the one person he knew would be able to fill in the blanks for him and solidify his new identity as a secret agent. However, upon relaying the situation to her, Elisa burst into laughter and shined the world's brightest lantern on how silly the entire thing apparently was. Hudson could do nothing but take the shameful reaction and wallow in the mortifying moment until she'd had her fill, which was excruciating. His pride was in tatters already and he hadn't even received the assistance he needed from the lass.
Thank heavens Goliath was tied up with Broadway's reading lessons at the library, while Lexington was absorbed in trying to restore Coldstone, and Brooklyn, not wanting to spend a moment with the eerie creature without Goliath present, went on patrol. Something Hudson couldn't blame the lad for at all, for it was partially why Hudson had pulled Elisa to the balcony to talk. At the very least the clan wouldn't witness yet another of his embarrassing moments in this bewildering topsy-turvy century. That is, if Lexington's curiosity doesn't get the better of him and bring him in on the oh-so droll joke that it appeared Elisa was finally recovering from.
"Okay, okay... I'm sorry, I'm good" she huffed out, whipping her luxurious hair out of her face as she stood to her full height once more. "What did you need me to do? Call him up and tell him you really are a secret age— pwahahaha!" she lost her composure yet again and went down to the ground howling this time.
Hudson smacked his face in exasperation as he dragged his fingers down to his chin. "Can ye please compose yerself?" he begged, at the end of his rope. Please, let this moment end, for goodness sake...
"Doesn't sound like nothin'!" Lex chimed in again, an offended lilt to his words.
Hudson growled as he panicked again, "It is nothin'! Jus' keep playin' with yer computers!" he huffed and knelt down to Elisa's level, offering his hand, while Lexington grumbled bitterly about no one ever letting him in on the fun and his daunting task wasn't even close to playing. Elisa took his hand lazily and he brought her back to her feet, then put his hands on his hips and stared flatly at the wheezing detective.
"I'm sorry, it's just such a funny image" she finally explained, waving her hands apologetically. "You, in a suit, with a gun, and the 007 music! Hahahaha!" she lost it again, dissolving what little patience Hudson had left.
"Never mind, forget I asked" he sighed, rolling his eyes and walking to the balcony's edge. If she was so overcome in childish jesting at his expense, he'd rather fumble with his cover alone. There was no need to suffer this indignity any longer.
"No no no, wait wait, okay..." Elisa's hands swiftly wrapped around his wrist, stopping him before he perched on the cobblestone railing. "I'm good, it's... I'm good" she breathed out, closing her eyes to steady herself.
Hudson raised an unconvincing eye ridge at her second attempt at composing herself, she was clearly still amused evident by that obscene smile splitting her features, and she'd failed spectacularly already. But he really didn't want to leave without something to help him cover his tracks better and the lass was his only hope in that regard. Plus, she was always making jokes and making witty commentary, it shouldn't have surprised him that she'd be so amused by this predicament instead of taking it deadly serious as the old gargoyle was. And besides, she knew what a secret agent was, Hudson didn't. It could be a silly occupation, especially for an decrepit gargoyle like himself, he couldn't know otherwise.
Besides, he could never stay mad at her, this was Elisa, their precious first human companion, and Goliath's treasure. He'd already prepared for a blow to his pride at the thought of asking her for help in this regard, so in for a penny in for a pound, he supposed.
"You want to know everything you can about secret agents to make your story to this guy believable?" she asked while smoothing her billowing hair, a shrewd smile on her face.
"Aye..." Hudson nodded shortly before a nervous gulp.
"Alright. Then you just need to remember the phrase 'I'm sorry, but that's classified information. I can't disclose any details on that'. That'll get you past the bulk of his questions" Elisa instructed, doing a tough masculine impression when relaying the key phrase.
Hudson put his hand on his beard and combed it thoughtfully. "Class-cee-fied information... anythin' else?"
"Well, when ya talk about patrolling the city, just say it's a mission. If he asks about the clan, say they're your coworkers or fellow agents. And uh..." she trailed off, mentally weighing the words to say for the next point. "Try not to yawn or burp or cough. At all" she chuckled nervously.
Hudson blinked a few times. "Why?" he asked innocently.
"Just... trust me on that one, okay?" Elisa said, putting a friendly, and hopefully conclusive, hand on Hudson's shoulder.
"Alright..." he answered while looking down, trying to keep track of all the information he'd received. "Is that all I have to do?" he asked, setting his eyes back to her.
"It would probably be best if you watched a couple o' spy movies and copy those guys" she shrugged as the crisp night air blew through her hair, trailing it beside her. Elisa quickly put her hands in her jacket pockets and dropped her head down to her shoulders.
"What, uh, channel are these 'spy movies' played on?" Hudson inquired.
"Don't worry about it, I'll rent ya a couple cassette tapes tonight" Elisa chuckled warmly while giving him a quick thumbs up.
Hudson sighed in relief, dropping shoulders he didn't realize were raised all this time. "Aye, thank ye, lass. Ye've been a big help" he smiled at her, fondness clear in his gaze.
"Hey, anything to help human-gargoyle relations" she shrugged, her smile widening. "I'm glad you found a new friend, Hudson"
The gargoyle brought his hand to the back of his head and rubbed absentmindedly. "Well, it was he who found me..." he corrected with mirth, memories of that night flashing through his mind.
The feel of Gilly's fur and her joyful barks, the slightly worn, soft leather of the chair in his study, lit only by the warm glow of the fireplace. The unpleasant taste of strange tea dulled by the sweet treats accompanying it. And Robbins, his inviting smile, wise council, and calming presence, coloring the entire collection of memories in a blissful light.
Elisa giggled in response. "Right, kinda ironic. The blind guy is the one who found you"
Hudson tilted his head. "Ironic?"
"I think I'll let your friend explain that one to you" Elisa breathed as she backed away, the whistling winds no doubt giving her a deep chill she was already fighting off.
Hudson leaped to the top of the railing as he concluded their conversation. "Aye, I best be on my way now. Thanks again, lass" his smile grew a bit as his wings began to spread out.
"Of course, Hudson. Have fun" she called back sweetly, giving the old gargoyle a small wave goodbye before turning inside and climbing down the stairs of the clock face. Hmm, fun... Something he hadn't thought about in a long time. Eons, it felt like.
As Hudson prepared to soar through the sky and begin his journey, he could hear Lexington speak up over the gusts of wind. "No seriously, what's all the laughin' about?"
"Hudson's signing up with the CIA"
"Pwahahaha!"
"Shut it!" Hudson shouted back, the cursed blush returning to his cheeks.
As the old gargoyle made his way above the towers of steel and glass, he ruminated on Elisa's parting words. "Have fun", she said. Like it was so simple to grasp. Perhaps it was to someone as young and human as her, but for Hudson it was like asking him to thread a horse through a sewing needle.
Just doing something for the enjoyment of doing it alone and achieving a state of happiness from that, it seemed like an almost foreign concept now. After everything they'd suffered through, everything they continue to suffer through, the constant questions about tomorrow that plague and worry him, how could he even approach something as distant and ephemeral as "fun"? Sure, there was television programs, but that was more mind-numbing distractions while guarding their home. It was a meaningless reprieve, a thing to pass the time, little better than sharpening weapons or counting stars during sentry duty. It wasn't amusing per-say, just a distraction. It wasn't exactly... fun.
What's worse is fun was something that came so easy for the young ones, it always was, but Hudson distinctly remembered even when he was young he never had much fun. Never felt it as deeply as they seemed to. He couldn't afford that luxury, there was so much warfare and politics to be handled, he just never had the time as a lad. It was all about survival, building strength, growing in experience, making the hard, but necessary decisions to keep the clan going. Fat lot of good that's done me now... he shook his head at the bitter thought, not because he believed it to be wrong, but because it was a road he'd rather not travel down tonight.
As he moved away from that bleak trail of thought, he reaffirmed that he was never one for fun and merriment. No one of his generation was, no one except... her. His Queen of the Night... A deep sinking feeling weighed him down, nearly causing him to plummet to the streets below. Such was the nature of his heart when thoughts of... her... came to the forefront. She was always joyful, carefree, like a leaf blowing in the cool summer breeze, untethered. In every situation, no matter how dire, she always wore a smile, a dazzling awe-inspiring thing. Her lips always curled in that scintillating way that made his heart flop around in his chest. Even now, a millennia of time away and halfway across the world from her, he couldn't help but feel light headed thinking of his wonder of a mate.
He'd often ponder how she came to be so unflappable, what about her caused nothing in this world to faze her? Was it her confidence on the battlefield, bolstered by her remarkable strength and skill as a warrior? Was it her stubborn belief that no matter how bad things seem, they could always turn around in her favor, and the fact that she was frustratingly always right on that front? Was it her simple desires of a mate, hatchlings to raise, and a land with plenty of food and beauty to spend her days protecting was enough for her? And any additional things gifted to her were just gravy on the biscuit? Hudson was shamed to say he'd never fully figured it out and he'd never gotten a straight answer from the lass herself.
But whatever it was that drove her to be so different from everyone else, she had always held firmly onto fun and happiness itself. One of the many reasons why she filled him with both appreciation and quiet envy. Even in her final hour, he surmised, she was probably completely at peace with a soft smile on her face. Hudson's chest blossomed with a warm, comforting sensation, as he rose higher into the sky without even meaning to. His head, though flush, felt clear, the biting wind blasting his skin dulled as everything seemed to slow down just a bit. He could feel a deep chuckle rising in his throat as he looked through the clouds at the waning moon shining on him with a blessed glow. And for one blissful moment, only one thought was left in his head.
What a woman...
A distant foghorn cut through his ear and brought the world rushing back, his mind now back to its regularly scheduled musings and conundrums. It was a nice moment while it lasted, he sighed inwardly as the welcomed sight of Robbin's island came into view. Suddenly his breath hitched in his throat and a sense of lightness overcame him, as he picked up speed and cut through the air like a falcon on the hunt. This was excitement, he recognized with a bit of a start; Hudson was incredibly excited to start his reading lessons with Robbins. He was excited to see Gilly again, he was eager to talk with Robbins, he was eager to sit by the fire and leave his worries at the door. To be, at least partially, at peace and in safety.
He still hadn't been able to reach a suitable conclusion regarding these feelings the blind human instilled in him, but perhaps tonight would bestow the clarity he sought. So many unanswered questions regarding the man, so many fascinating stories he could share, such wisdom he could skillfully reveal. And his voice, it just had a way of setting the normally tense warrior at ease. That was one of the most peculiar things Hudson wanted an answer to first, just what was it about him that slowed everything down around them to a much more manageable pace? The old gargoyle hoped he'd at least get a clue tonight as the ground quickly rushed to meet him.
Hudson leaned toward the brush of the estate and swiftly angled his legs under him as he slowed his descent. With deft control, the massive gargoyle landed like a cat on a tree branch, high enough to get a lay of the land but low enough to blend right in with the foliage. Once he was sure there was no one around, he slowly glided to the grass covered lawn, cool blades gave way under his weight with a satisfying shuffle. Hudson's steps were light, his excitement much higher than when he first laid eyes on the tiny island home to the new human in his life. The saving grace of the entire race as far as Hudson was concerned. His breaths began to get deeper as he reached the back porch of the modest estate, the old gargoyle mentally steeled himself.
What's the matter with me? There's nothing to be so worked up aboot, it's just a normal, friendly visit. Nothin' excitin' aboot it, he tried to reason with himself. But as soon as he heard the now familiar bark of the wonderful lass Gilly and saw a silhouette reach for that recognizable cane, all his reasoning went out to the crashing sea behind him.
And before he knew it, he rapped his calloused knuckles against the sliding door pane and announced himself. "Robbins, it's Hudson. I'm back" he paused for a beat, finding the words left a strange taste on his tongue. Strange, but not at all unpleasant.
Robbins swiftly slid the door open, a wide grin on his face. "Yeah, I've been expectin' ya"
The instant the door was cracked open enough, his furry companion rushed out and leapt up to Hudson's belly, her tail wagging madly with pure joy. "Good to see ya again, lass" Hudson beamed, melting at Gilly's excitement from seeing him. He rubbed wide soothing circles on her coat, ruffling her features lovingly as he walked inside the familiar room.
"So how's the secret agent biz?" Robbins chimed, a hint of bashfulness in his voice. He must find the cover almost as amusin' as Elisa, Hudson groaned inwardly. Remember what the lass just got done teachin' ye to say.
His hand reflexively left Gilly and raised to his head to rub his nerves down while trying to sound casual. "Oh, ye know... protectin' the cas—" he caught himself, coughed to cover his tracks and continued, "Uh, patrolin' on missions, 'round the city" he mentally kicked himself for managing to fumble at the very first hurdle.
"Any interestin' ones?" Robbins asked, very interested if his leaning forward was any indication. Hudson's rubbing intensified as he struggled to remember what to say.
"Well, uh..." Calcified? Compromised? Wait, that's it! "I'm sorry but that's class-cee-fied information. I can't be talkin' too much, uh, aboot it..." he muddled through, flustered.
"Oh, of course! Silly of me to ask, huh?" Robbins replied, bonking his forehead with the butt of his palm in a goofy gesture before walking further into the room.
Hudson stared at him, stunned. Well I'll be. The lass was spot on with that line, he remarked, a perplexed smirk rising to his face. As uncomfortable as it was being the subject of her laugher and ridicule, it was well worth the information she provided. Had he a need to make a similar trade in the future, Hudson was more ready to partake in it.
"Ya want a drink? Somethin' to eat?" Robbins asked over his shoulder as he stood next to the hallway leading to the kitchen.
Hudson reached out to him and waved his hands a bit. "No, no. I think we should start now, if yer ready that is" he scooted to the chair he'd come to view as his, at least in some small part. Gilly wasted on time in jumping up to his lap, eliciting a few deep chuckles from him.
Robbins shuffled to his chair across the coffee table as he replied. "I'm ready if you're ready. Should be right there on the table, a colorful little booklet with big letters"
Hudson looked down and immediately noticed the booklet in question. "Aye, it's here" he picked it up and looked it over, a frown scrunching his face. "This... seems to be a, uh... book fer children" he noted flatly, making Robbins giggle a bit as he answered.
"I know, I know. But only because they're usually the ones that are learnin' this stuff" he finished pointing his finger up matter of factly.
Hudson looked hard at the booklet, an eye ridge raised unimpressed. "I'm startin' to think this is a bad idea..." he muttered, pinching the very edge of the sickeningly vibrant colored booklet with his claws.
"C'mon, there's nothin' to be ashamed of. It's just us here, nobody else'll know" Robbins said, soft and sweet.
Hudson tried to protest, he tried to counter that it didn't matter if no one else knew, he would know. He tried to explain how much embarrassment he'd already suffered today and he couldn't bare anymore, there's only so much a man can take in one night. But he found the fight rapidly drained out of him, that voice set him at ease, whether he wanted it to or not, he know realized with a start. He believed the human, as much as he thought this was stupid and a waste of time, he believed Robbins.
So the proud gargoyle meekly complied, "Alright..." and pried open the abominable booklet, which immediately assaulted him with crude etchings of random nonsense.
Bees, flowers, children, stars, dogs, caterpillars, those weird things he'd only seen on television, balloons? All of it surrounded a collection of symbols all assembled neatly in a line, a big symbol followed by a smaller one. But the rest was a messy collection of random commotion and Hudson was not amused. But when he looked up to protest, his words got caught in his throat at the congenial vibe Robbins emanated effortlessly, a soft smile revealing jovial dimples on his cheeks. He was cloaked in amicability and Hudson regrettably had no defense against it yet. So he just sighed and looked at the stupid paper to see what he could make out. And to his surprise, he did latch onto a few symbols that were stirring long forgotten memories in his mind.
"I recognize some of these..." he almost whispered, his finger resting beneath his lips in thought.
"I'm not surprised, you can see 'em in neon everywhere in this city" Robbins added, motioning to the mainland.
"Aye, it's... glaring" Hudson added, annoyed.
"Hahaha! Agreed!" Robbins laughed warmly, pointing at Hudson like he'd taken the words right out of his mouth. Hudson couldn't help but smile in response as he continued studying the symbols, to see if any more rang a bell.
While he scanned over the material, Robbins sipped a drink he'd already made for himself, from the faint smell of some sweet flower, it had to be a different flavor from Hudson's previous visits. He was now slightly regretting refusing Robbins's earlier offer.
"So tell me. How does a Scottish super spy with decades of experience manage to get this far without knowing how to read?" the blind author asked, a playfulness in his voice as he relaxed back into his chair.
Hudson paused, surprised to hear the question, more surprised he didn't anticipate the question before now. Of course he'd be curious about that, to claim a profession that apparently requires one to fight criminals and villains, remain in the shadows, and work exclusively at night would raise questions by itself. But add to that Hudson's age and his illiteracy and suddenly there's a blaring inconsistency in the story that threatens to collapse the entire front it's supposed to be building. Hudson inwardly ridiculed himself, this entire situation was why he hated lying. All of his life he'd never been one to lie or attempt to deceive, he couldn't speak for gargoyles as a whole, but it wasn't in his nature to mislead. He might be a failure in nearly every aspect, but he was honest and forthright, especially about being a failure.
So crafting a lie such as this was already out of his wheelhouse, but he assumed that it'd be easy to keep it going. Robbins was blind, all he had to do was never let them touch each other, especially their hands, and he was in the clear. But with the secret agent lie came all of these other complicated questions to account for, and it would be lie after lie after lie, until he wouldn't be able to keep track of the story any longer and it'd all fall apart. The mere thought of it rushed dread back into Hudson's heart, the intense worry of losing Robbins after the Fates so graciously allowed them to meet would drive him mad if he let it. So Hudson made a choice, right then and there. He would, whenever possible, remain true to his nature.
With a steadying, but shaky breath, he clasped his hands together and carefully spoke. "I... I never needed to. My... Queen of the Night, she was the one who shouldered that responsibility for me"
The sudden shift in the atmosphere caused Robbins to drop his smile and falter to create his response to this revelation. Hudson sighed, this was to be expected, after all.
"Oh... I didn't realize..." the human strained, sympathetic and sober. "How long were you married, if you don't mind my askin'?"
Hudson took another steadying breath before answering, that familiar sinking feeling overtaking him. "Many years. She was... my partner. And she always took care o' these things fer me. I never thought to ask her to teach me, and then..." the gargoyle stopped, hesitant to reveal so much so quickly.
The somber mood became even more serious, causing Hudson to admonish himself for being a melancholy burden on the always jovial and stress free Robbins. What right did he have to bring down the atmosphere like this? He should have kept his mouth closed after all, he could have just used the "class-cee-fied" line that Elisa offered him. It's worked once before, why not try it again? But he knew, he had to be honest as much as he could to keep the lies simple and straightforward. Otherwise, he'd go mad worrying about how it would all fall apart down the road. So, as much as it pained him, it'd be better to be honest and dampen the mood as opposed to his true nature being discovered.
"I'm... I'm so sorry, Hudson" Robbins finally spoke up again, very uncharacteristically sullen as he leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. His condolences, however late in time to the tragedy, were sincere and welcomed.
"Aye..." was all Hudson could say in reply for now. Those bitter sweet memories of her danced before his eyes once again, leaving traces of hope and dread in equal parts, as despairing silence enveloped the room.
"Well, as the old Alfred Tennyson quote goes," Robbins perked up, bursting the bubble of tension in the air. " 'Tis better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all'. So at least you can take some comfort in knowin' that ya had her for a time. Everybody's not fortunate enough to meet their soulmate in this life..."
Hudson looked up at Robbins, his eyes shot wide open as his lips parted. The heaviness weighing on him, the dread, the melancholy, the self-deprecation, it all lessened in an instant. A sudden, powerful clarity enveloped him and made him feel at peace once more, his understanding broadened and his countenance lightened. Why hadn't he thought of that perspective before now? How was it so clear now, that there was more sweet in those memories than bitter? How was it that, in a few short sentences, a human he'd just met a few days ago made him feel so much more at ease about such a traumatic part of his life? Just how much power did Robbins have over him?
Hudson waved off the shock as best he could and answered, "I... I suppose you're right. Thank ye, Robbins" the blind writer nodded in response, his warm smile returning as he settled back into his chair. It wasn't a big deal, thinking of her always made him feel sad, then happy, then a mixture of both before settling back into at peace. This was no different, not really, it couldn't be. Robbins didn't have any sort of power over him, that'd be ridiculous, he reasoned. Sure he'd never thought of it like that before, but Robbins was quite wise so that makes sense that he'd have a different angle of looking at things. But no, there was nothing incredible about that, surely.
Eager to get the topic of conversation off of himself, Hudson cleared his throat. "What about you? Did you ever find your, eh... soulmate?" he asked amicably, hoping it wouldn't lead them into more somber territory. Because if Robbins was the one who needed to be cheered up in this regard, Hudson was afraid he'd be plum out of luck.
Robbins answered after swallowing his drink. "Thought I got close; twice. But as it turns out, one of 'em wasn't interested in bein' married and the other one wasn't interested in bein' married to me. Either way, I've pretty much always been a bachelor" he replied with a resigned calm.
"Ye mean you've never shared yer life with someone else?" Hudson asked before he could stop himself.
"Not from lack of tryin', mind you. But like I said, not everybody's as fortunate in love as you were, Hudson. So take solace in that" he offered before taking another sip of tea, while Hudson tried to reconcile this new revelation.
It was just incredibly surprising to hear, he'd seen a slew of human men much less wise, kind, and honorable than Robbins get more than one mate. So for someone of Robbins's extremely high caliber of character to not have one mate... it just didn't add up. Was he ugly by human standards? Hudson doubted that, but couldn't really judge on the matter, maybe he was unattractive. He didn't recall blind men being exactly high on the human females' list of suitors. But surely he could have met another blind human and then his looks wouldn't matter, right? Or was it the sole fact that he was blind that would make him undesirable to the human females?
That seems incredibly unlikely, not to mention shallow, but for as old as Hudson was, human customs still largely remained a mystery to him. So as unbelievable as it seemed, he had to take Robbins's word on the matter and accept the fact that he has never bonded fully with another. A fate that Hudson wouldn't wish on the worst humans he'd met, let alone the greatest one.
"Sorry..." he offered sympathetic and somber on his behalf. It didn't seem fair or right for Robbins to have this be his lot in life. Not at all.
But without any bitterness or sorrow, Robbins waved off Hudson. "Nah, don't worry about it. I'm over it. Besides, I've still managed to land a wonderful lady to spend my lonesome days with" he said suggestively as he reached down to the floor. "Isn't that right, Gilly?" he asked in a goofy, affectionate voice while ruffling her ears. She barked happily in response eliciting a rumble of chortles in Robbins's throat, his grin widening.
Hudson perked up at the display of affection. "Oh aye, she's a good lass, alright" he agreed, grinning in spite of himself. She reminded him of Bronx, who lay alone by the television tonight, awaiting his return.
"Ah, but I don't want us to get too distracted. Can you tell me what letters you recognize and name 'em if ya can?" Robbins asked, focusing Hudson back on the task he'd managed to completely forget, much to his own surprise.
"Aye..." he scanned his finger over the page, quickly going to the first "letter", as Robbins called them. "I believe this one—the first one, I mean—is A? And then B, then C... or is this one B?" he looked up to Robbins, pointing at the letter.
"Which one?" the blind human asked nicely, making Hudson kick himself for forgetting, yet again, that his teacher couldn't see. He wondered if he'd ever stop doing that.
"The... fourth one" he counted quickly, picking the booklet up.
"Oh, I see. So B and D look pretty similar when they're lowercased, but the capital letters—the bigger letters you see there—those are the ones we'll focus on, just for now" Robbins clarified.
Hudson tilted his head to the side and scrunched his nose a bit. "Why did they make 'em look the same?"
Robbins took a second to answer. "To... make writing them easier, I guess?" he shrugged. "It's okay, keep going, you're doin' great so far"
Hudson's brows furrowed as he peered over the paper to eye Robbins. "I... I am?" he asked, genuinely surprised. They just started and he just got one wrong, surely Robbins was mistaken.
"Yeah, man. Ya know more than ya think. Keep tryin', Hudson" Robbins smiled warmly before motioning for Hudson to continue.
Hudson blinked several times as he cleared his throat to push down the blush rising to his cheeks. "O... okay... um..." he dragged his finger across the page to the fifth letter. "Since we're lookin' at the big letters... this next one must be E or F, I don't remember..."
"Another two that look kinda similar, ha ha. It's okay"
"The next one... I don't know, a broken ring with a hook in it... it's not O, is it?"
"No, O is just a regular ring. No hooks"
Hudson looked further down the page as he answered. "Aye, I found that one down here. That one's easy, it's these other ones that are unnecessarily complicated"
"It's alright, I'll un-complicate 'em for ya. What's next?"
"Hmm... I don't recognize the one after that either, but the line next to that one is L. I think"
"You're thinkin' of a lowercase L, remember we're focusin' on the big ones first" Robbins reminded with a finger raised.
Hudson shrunk down in his seat and smacked his lips. "Aye, right. Sorry"
"S'okay, no need to apologize" Robbins smiled pleasantly as he waved off Hudson's worrying.
"I dunno what that one is then... uh... I've never seen these ones before..." he admitted, tilting his head even more to the side and widening his eyes.
"The big hook with a line across the top?" Robbins asked, drawing the shapes in the air with his finger.
"Aye, and the one next to it. What is that?" Hudson asked, squinting and leaning closer to the booklet, as if the gesture would reveal the answer to him somehow.
"Don't worry about it. For right now, just keep goin', buddy" Robbins laughed a bit.
"... This one is L, I remember that one... the next 2—uh, the mountain peaks—I don't know" Hudson shook his head a bit.
Robbins held his chin thoughtfully. "Well, it's good that you associate it with mountain peaks, that'll help later"
"If ye say so..." Hudson rolled his eyes before continuing. "Of course that one's O... the upside down 'b', I don't recognize"
Robbins perked up at that, pursing his lips a bit. "Huh. I guess that is an upside down 'b'. Crazy I never realized that b'fore" he remarked, lightly scratching his temple.
"The next one, Robbins, I think they made a mistake. They put O again" Hudson put the booklet back on the coffee table and leaned over it, trying to confirm his suspicion.
"They put O again?" the blind writer asked incredulous, before realization dawned on him. "Oh, no no no, that's another letter that looks similar! Look at the bottom of the ring"
"Hmm?" Hudson squinted and noticed a small detail he neglected. "A little line? That makes it different?"
"Sometimes that's all it takes, just a little line"
Hudson stared down at the booklet and crossed his arms gruffly. "That's... annoying"
"Bwahahaha!" Robbins nearly fell out of his chair as he clutched his stomach and keeled over. Gilly shot up from the floor in surprise looking between the two men as Hudson looked at her, sharing in the confusion.
"What's so funny?" he asked defensive, getting déjà vu of his recent embarrassment with the other human in his life.
Robbins calmed down and huffed a few mirth filled breaths. "Haa, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's nothin', keep goin', I'm good" he nodded while clearing his throat.
Hudson's brows narrowed as he eyed Robbins suspiciously. "Ye wouldn't be playin' a joke on me with all this, would ye?" he asked, already offended.
"No, no, it's just... you're quite refreshing, Hudson. This is gonna be a lot of fun"
Fun. There goes that word again, Hudson thought quizzically, before shooting back his retort. "Fer you or me?"
Robbins shrugged as he grinned. "I mean, why not both of us?" he offered, a mischievous lilt in his tone as he tilted his head in a goofy fashion.
Hudson couldn't help but smile, despite his reservations about being the subject of yet another human's joke in a single night. "I got my eye on ye, Robbins. Ye'd do well to remember that" he playfully threatened.
Robbins tilted his glasses down a bit as he answered back. "And I got my eye on you, soldier. Keep goin' "
"Aye, aye" Hudson traced his finger over the page to get back to his place. "This one looks like B, but broken at the bottom... Don't know that one" He shifted to the next letter and immediately popped up in his seat. "Oh, I know this one! It's a snake—uh—S! That one is S"
"Very good!" Robbins cheered sweetly, as Hudson grinned wide.
"Hee hee, I know the next one too. The temple pillar with the roof is T" he said, recalling his Queen of the Night trying to teach him this a few times, while he foolishly had his mind on other things. Unfortunately, only a couple of letters that he could easily identify as common everyday objects stuck.
"Alright, there ya go! What's next?" Robbins asked excited.
"Uh... hmm... this one... it looks like a chain link that's broken at the top, I don't know that one"
Hudson quickly looked over the last few letters, utterly confused. "And the rest... I've never seen before... sorry" he croaked out, embarrassed.
"That's okay, ya got a bunch of 'em on your own! You did really good so far!" the blind writer encouraged while leaning on his cane.
"No, I didn't. I don't need ye to treat me like a child" he snapped. After he'd gotten so cocky about the two obvious ones he knew, reality came crashing back down on him as it often did. Why'd he get so elated about knowing a few letters when he's trying to learn all of them to be able to read fluently? What a joke.
"I'm not, honest!" Robbins pushed back, a laugh hanging on his words. "I didn't think you knew any of this, figured ya knew more Celtic than English. I was expectin' to have to teach ya from the ground up. But you've already got some handlin' of it on your own, that's fantastic, Hudson" he smirked proudly at his new student, giving Hudson pause.
The old gargoyle had been alive for a very long time and dealt with a plethora of individuals, both human and gargoyle. Of all ages, both sexes, from all classes and creeds, one of the few unifying trait of them all, is everyone patronizes the same way. There's a clear inflection, body language, clever choices of vocabulary that gives them away every time. And more than once he had to confront and clear up the assumption that Hudson or his clan could be patronized by anyone. People could think and feel however they wanted about him and his clan, but if they had something to say on that wise, they needed to say it straight and make it plain or shut their gob, pure and simple.
So when he heard Robbins's words of praise, his sincerity surprised him. It wasn't pity, it wasn't politeness, it wasn't some witless excuse to exert superiority over him, it was nothing like that. It was real, genuine praise from someone who actually cared about his progress and wanted him to know that he did better than he expected. It was kindness, which shouldn't have taken him by surprise, but he'd been quick to forget who he was dealing with. He wasn't used to kindness from humans, it always led to something that ended badly. The Captain of the Guard, The Magus (the boy was kind, once. Then he grew up), Xanatos, The Pack, take your pick.
And sincerity? Always in question, always measurements of it, never completely sincere. But this was Robbins, the saving grace of humanity, a man who's shown nothing but kindness and sincerity since the day they met, a man who views Hudson as just another man. His sincerity couldn't be questioned.
"Ye... ye really think so..." Hudson replied softly, more as a realization than a question.
"Absolutely. In fact, I'm sure it'll be a cinch to memorize the whole alphabet by the end of the night" Robbins said confidently, causing Hudson to jolt back in his chair, the squeak of leather giving his composure away.
"Memorize 'em? I—I can't do that, Robbins. There's so many of 'em and—and they're tricky to tell apart"
Robbins tapped his cane on the carpet staunchly. "Hey, if dumb little kids all over the world can do it, you can too" he declared pointing his cane at Hudson emphatically. Like Hudson didn't have any choice but to take the man's word on this one. So he did, reluctantly.
"I... I'll try, Robbins"
"Good man" Robbins swung his cane back around and leaned on it again. "Now, believe it or not, there's a song to help ya memorize the whole alphabet"
"A song?"
"Yep, everybody around here knows it, but I guess Scotland's outta the loop on that one" Robbins sheepishly scratched his temple again. "Anyway, it sounds like Baa Baa Black Sheep"
"Baa Baa Black Sheep?"
"Okay, now I know you're pullin' my leg. That one's from Scotland, I think!" Robbins quickly added.
"I'm sorry, I don't know that ballad"
"Ballad?" Robbins asked incredulous, his features scrunched in confusion, causing panic to shoot through Hudson once more.
"Er, why don't ye sing it, then? Get me all caught up" he offered, hoping to refocus the conversation away from himself.
"Alright then. It goes like this: G~" Robbins held the note for a beat. "Now, if you notice, that's the whole first line in your booklet there" he pointed to the coffee table, where the booklet was resting.
Hudson traced his finger across the first line, replaying the song he just sang. "Yer right..."
"Then, H I J K, P~" again, he held the note for a beat. "Now, ya gotta be careful, a lot of kids when they first learn this, they lump LMNO as one letter. It's not, ya gotta say it slow. L. M. N. O" he emphasized each letter by tapping his cane.
"L. M. N. O. That's the easy one" Hudson remarked, smirking. Perhaps this could be memorized in one night after all.
"Right, the easy one. L's an easy one too, there's a trick to that one" Robbins put up his hand as he explained. "If you put up your left hand, stick your index finger and thumb out, it looks like a capital L. The word 'left' starts with L. 'Left' hand makes a capital L. It all fits pretty neatly" he said demonstrating the trick.
Hudson imitated the trick, not fully seeing the correlation because Robbins's left hand made a backwards L from where he was sitting. But as soon as he did it himself, the symbol and fingers matched exactly.
"Yer right... Yer quite knowledgable about all this" he remarked, very impressed and not for the first time when it came to Robbins.
Robbins scoffed playfully, "I should hope so, I'm a writer"
"I knew ye were the best man fer the job, Robbins" Hudson said, gratefulness clear in his voice.
Robbins bowed his head humbly. "Thank ya, sir" before continuing. "Now, the rest of the ABCs; Q R S, T U V, W X, Y and Z~. Now I know my ABCs, next time won't you sing with me~" he finished while motioning to Hudson with his hand, like presenting him with the conclusion of the matter.
"That's it?" he asked, half-expecting another 5 or so verses of this thing.
But Robbins nodded. "Yup, that's it. Pretty simple, right?"
"Aye. I think I got it already"
"Oh yeah? Let's hear it then" Robbins adjusted in his seat, sitting right on the edge and clasping his hands together, patiently waiting.
Hudson shrunk back as he timidly asked, "Uh, do I... have to... ye know... sing it?"
"Yup" Robbins smirked a devilish little smile.
Hudson looked at Robbins seriously. "Ye don't know what yer askin', Robbins. I know how to do many things, but singin' ain't one of 'em"
"Told ya this would be fun" Robbins replied, raising an eyebrow cheekily.
Hudson squinted at Robbins, a small smile raising his cheeks. "Yer a mischievous one, aren't cha?"
"When I can be" was his succinct reply. "Let's hear it" he motioned for Hudson to bring it.
The old gargoyle sighed dramatically. "You've been warned..." he cleared his throat and took the plunge. "A B C D E F G" he started with a voice so coarse and uneven it shocked Gilly up again, no doubt she was looking for the seal being slain on the beach.
Robbins exploded with laughter immediately, "Oh my God, hahahaha!" he clasped his hands over his mouth but it didn't help at all.
"I warned ye!" Hudson shouted back, his face glowing red.
Robbins quickly managed to cobble his composure back together, albeit tenuously. "No no no, ignore me! Keep... keep goin' " he squeaked out, biting his lower lip to hold back his giggles.
Hudson stared at him for a beat, taking in Robbins's absolutely ludicrous face on the verge of bursting with laughter again. Inflated cheeks, shivering like he had to relieve his bladder, choked down breaths that sounded more like one of those balloon things when they release their air. It was positively bizarre... and fantastic to witness up close. Elisa didn't look so amusing when she laughed at him, none of the clan had this expression before, at least none that he enjoyed. For whatever reason, Robbins was the first to accomplish making a face that filled him with goofy curiosity. And it was then that the old gargoyle had to admit, he wanted to break him down again. Pride be damned, this was entertaining for him too.
So he took a deep breath and belted out once more. "H I J K, LMNO P" he caught himself, "Uh, I mean, L M N O. P"
Robbins contorted and twisted in unpredictable, outrageous ways as he strained to contain the build up of chortling inside of him."Good... good, you remembered" he squeaked out, at an even higher pitch than before, causing Hudson to chuckle himself.
What was this, why did he want nothing more than to break down Robbins and see him crack and unleash the torrent of laughter he was holding back? He honestly couldn't figure it out. Something about his face, something about his normally far more reserved demeanor thrown out the window at Hudson's horrible singing. There was something intriguing and exciting about trying to cause this man to roll around on the floor giggling, Hudson just had to see it. It was like he was being teased with something, like a race between two of the slowest runners in the world. They were almost at the finish line but they just kept not crossing over it, he couldn't let that stand. It was time to push Jeffery Robbins over the edge.
"Aye, I remembered, but this next part I forgot!" he announced jovially as he took another deep breath and rose to his feet. "Cool R S, Tree U V, Dub-To X, Y and See" he bellowed with his arms stretched out wide like he'd seen those people in the "musical movies" do.
Robbins exploded with laughter so powerfully he jumped into the back of the chair and caused it to fall over, sending him reeling comically to the ground. Hudson couldn't contain his chuckles as he watched the blind writer try to find his now loss glasses while struggling to stop the laughs from rolling out of his mouth. Gilly, not wanting to be left out on the merriment, started pushing on Robbins's stomach, causing him to abruptly stop laughing for a moment and grunt uncouthly under her weight. Down went Hudson at this development, giggling uncontrollably as he clutched his pulsing forehead. Finally, Hudson's efforts paid off.
" 'Dub-To X'! Oh man!" Robbins managed to choke out as he recovered from Gilly's sneak attack. Tears streamed down his face as he smoothed a hand through over his forehead and into his hair.
Hudson chuckled, "What? I said I forgot that part!" he shouted in faux outrage, sending Robbins reeling again.
" 'Cool R S'! Hahahaha!" he choked out as he managed to prop himself up on the coffee table. "Ohhh that's good!" he wheezed before Gilly knocked him back over, restarting his laughing fit.
"Would ye please compose yerself?" Hudson coyly asked, looking over at Gilly bully poor Robbins with her soft little paws.
Robbins pointed up towards the wall, thinking Hudson was in that direction. "I told ya this would be fun for both of us! Hahahaha!" he howled out while Gilly barked happily at him.
Hudson couldn't stop the tingling sensation all over him as he tried gathering his thoughts. Is this the feeling? Was he having fun right now? Is this how it felt? How it's supposed to feel? As Gilly now paid him a visit and tickled him with her nose, he realized what the fuss was about. The lads had it right, fun was something to be pursued not chastised for indulging in. It was like every problem had shrunk down instantly into a tiny speck and finally he could relish in happiness for once, instead of pity or shame or sadness.
This was it, wasn't it? This was fun, real fun. Not just a thing to pass the time, not just a distraction, it was ointment for wounds. Antidote for poison. Nourishment for the heart. He'd forgotten that, somewhere along the way. Kudos to the trio for never losing sight of this simple truth, and for putting up with an old coot like him this whole time. Hudson swore he'd loosen up around them, let them have their fun, because he wouldn't want anyone to come and ruin this moment for him.
Finally, Hudson managed to get back up to his chair, as a few loose chuckles did their final lap. "Hehehehe! I was close though, wasn't I?" he remarked, while Robbins got his chair back up and leaned against it, out of breath but happier than he'd ever seen him.
"Yeah, but it's Q R S, T U V, W X, Y and Z" he breathed out as he finished, Gilly rubbing her head on his leg to get his attention.
"And my singin'?" Hudson asked playfully, grinning ear to ear, which made Robbins laugh a little as he retrieved his glasses from Gilly.
"Immaculate, buddy. Just amazin', when are you droppin' your first record again? Hahaha"
"Aye aye, I admit I've got a brass throat" Hudson waved off as he dropped his pretense, laughing at himself for a change.
Robbins huffed out a breath as he dropped back into his seat. "That's okay, not all of us can be Anita Baker" he chuckled a little.
Hudson blinked a few times before asking, "What do bakers have to do with singing?"
Robbins erupted with laughter again, plopping to the ground immediately. "You're KILLIN' me, Hudson!" he cried, as Gilly went searching for his glasses again.
"HOW?!" Hudson snorted out in confusion before he started to cackle again.
Author's Note: Hey, who says that learning can't be fun? Poo poo on them, they know nothing! (actually don't poo poo on them, don't poo poo on anybody XD)
Elisa was fun to write for, mainly because I really like her mixture of sassy sarcasm and genuine tenderness. I'm probably gonna include her, at least in passing, in future chapters because she's just so great. Lexington is also wonderful, bringing in his own brand of levity and intrigue. God, the whole Manhattan Clan is just fascinating to me. I gotta put them in more chapters XDDD
Finally we get more information on Hudson's Mate, his Queen of the Night, or "Queen" for short. All the "canonical" information we have right now on her is this small quote from Greg Weisman: "[She was] a fierce warrior and a lovely individual". Not much to go on, but thanks anyway, Greg XD So what I decided is to kind of mold her to the thematic point of the chapter, which is of course the importance of fun and the power of just being happy. Of course there's much more to cover concerning her, but in future I'm pretty much gonna make her character and history line up with whatever themes are relevant to the chapters she's mentioned in. So stay tuned for that as it develops, hopefully it'll turn out okay... hopefully... Oo'
And hey look at that, some more development for Robbins and his love life! Yup, I made him a bachelor, it just made sense to me, someone like him can't have an ex-wife or kids, it just wouldn't work with the character I've crafted. Plus, in every appearance of Robbins and all the extra canonical information we have about him, there isn't a single hint at an ex-wife or children, or much of a life outside of Hudson for that matter. So it just would have been messy to try and fit in an ex-wife and children into his backstory. Plus, he gets to say that nice quote with more weight behind it than just another divorcee. Now I bet you're thinking, "Well ya coulda just killed off the wife and say they never had kids", and you raise an important point. But uh... both protagonists having a dead wife... that's insanely convenient and/or coincidental. I don't like those in my stories, so I said no to that idea too. Long live Bachelor Robbins XD
The alphabet Hudson is familiar with is the Scottish Gaelic alphabet, known as the aibidil, and also called the Beith Luis Nuin from the first three letter of the Ogham alphabet, which is an even older lettering system that Gaelic originates from. The first three letters of Ogham was b, l, n, as opposed to a, b, c which explains the second name for their alphabet. Kinda like how we call our alphabet "ABCs" sometimes, that's all that is.
The aibidil consisted of 23 different letters and 13 digraphs, which are pairs of letters that create a character. Think of it like a pair of V's smooshed together make a W, that's what digraphs are like. So in total 36 letters/characters that make up their alphabet, whereas our current alphabet has 26 letters/characters.
All of this to say, Hudson would be pleasantly surprised that he didn't have 36 things to memorize for his first day. But it still would feel like a lot of information to remember because of the 23 letters of the aibidil, 5 of them are the exact same letter just with an accent (`) over it. So it would be hard for him to remember or even notice a difference between a and à, e and è, i and ì, o and ò, u and ù. Especially i and ì, that's even hard for ME to notice XD
So he recognized quite a bit, but he still had a lot of work to do with pairing the letters with the sounds and learning completely new letters and sounds. So hang in there, Hudson. You'll get the hang of it, buddy.
Once again, I tried to make his comparisons of letters and symbols to things that he's already familiar with from 1000 years ago. That was very important for me because it may or may not come up again later in the story, hmm, you'll just have to wait and see ;)
And Anita Baker is one of the greatest singers of all time and if you haven't heard her music before now I demand you go listen to it right now XD She may or may not pop back up later in the story, who knows? ;3
