Author Topic: Support between friends  (Read 1453 times)

Offline Despayre

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Support between friends
« on: October 06, 2011, 06:58:23 PM »
 
The scary thing was, the bear had been right.

After Despayre’s ‘save’ of Gabriel and his claim that Angel was aware there was some sort of flaw in Gabriel’s stage trick, Gabriel and his crew did a thorough inspection of the equipment for the ‘Ice Fire’ grand finale. His men wanted to know why he thought there was something wrong and Gabriel replied with a simple, “I just have this feeling something’s not right.” Well, it’s not as if he could tell them that his friend’s teddy bear issued the warning.

But so far, Angel’s been right about everything else so, why not this time?

They found a small leak in the tank of liquid nitrogen. It was amazing that nothing had happened during the previous rehearsals when the gaseous element had been used, but one more chance, especially in front of a live audience, was too far a risk. The tank had been replaced and Angel’s record of being right was intact. Gabriel’s final performance had been a smash hit as all of its predecessors, and he had his own personal cheering section right there at the best table in the house where the slightest thing he did was met with a thunderous “Hooray!” from Despayre.

“That was your best show yet!” Despayre had said with a smile as he rushed around backstage at the show., and having made every single one of Gabriel’s performances and never tiring of it, he would be considered the resident expert.

Gabriel could only smile at his ‘biggest fan’s’ enthusiasm as he rubbed the towel over his neck backstage. Gabriel looked around at the backstage area as the men and women employed by the hotel and the production of the stage show that had been his pride and joy over the past six months went about their business. He turned back to Despayre who was peeking inside of one of his equipment trunks and shook his head.

“You say that about all of my shows Despy.” Gabriel stated matter-of-factly but with good humor.

Despayre stood up and turned around and nodded in a serious demeanor - or at least as serious as his innocent mind was capable of. He said, “Yeah but this time I really mean it.”

“Oh okay.” Gabriel nodded, then frowned, “Wait, what?”


**********


So how could Gabriel do anything but accept the invitation afterwards to have a first hand tour of Despayre and Synn’s new house here in Vegas?

“Damn man, you all are living large!"

Gabriel had stated when he first set foot inside of the modern, luxury estate and gazed around at the decorative interior. It looked as if someone had taken his luxury suite at the Luxor and stretched it out into a mini palace. If he had to be honest, he didn't think it looked like Synn's style. He always thought Synn was the dark decor type of person and maybe not on so grand a scale, but then Gabriel knew damn well, it was not Synn whom Synn bought the house for.

He followed his friend and tag team partner around for a good hour, watching as Despayre showed him absolutely everything that his eyes fell upon. Whatever Despayre had found fascinating upon his own first inspection with Synn, he proceeded to show Gabriel as well – because Despayre just knew that meant Gabriel would be interested too. Of course had it not been for Gabriel’s swift reflexes, his little buddy would have taken his second fully clothed swim in that opulent swimming pool outside.

Despayre had even went through all the ‘trouble’ of making Gabriel and Synn a snack, all by his lonesome (heavily supervised), with the goodies he had discovered in the fridge earlier. So with a Cherry Coke in hand (beer for Gabriel and Synn), Despayre continued with the tour.

"Oo! Ooo! Look at this! Look!”

Gabriel followed diligently as Despayre ran into the spacious living room and grabbed a remote control and clicked a button, and he looked mesmerized as the curtain blinds slid open on their own accord. He then pointed the remote toward a wall-mounted fountain and with another click, the water started to flow down the wall into the miniature pool at their feet.

Despayre looked down quizzically at the gadget in his small hands and frowned, then looked up at Gabriel who had a smile plastered on his face at the innocent fascination his friend was reaction toward things he himself would take for granted.

“I wonder if this thing would start your car?” He asked in all seriousness.

“Somehow I doubt that Despy.”

Despayre studied the gadget and as he fiddled with the buttons on it with his thumb and fingers, he asked beneath his breath, “Will you stay here now too?”

“Hm? What was that?” Gabriel asked. He had been certain he heard him, and what he asked. Gabriel had a suspicion the topic would come up and the answer and reaction might be difficult, but that appeared to come with the territory of having a family such as this.

Despayre looked up but seemed as if his eyes fell everywhere but at his friend. “Well, your show was finished at the hotel. That means you’re moving in here, right?”

Gabriel sighed, “`Fraid not Despy.”

“But…why?”

Gabriel took his shoulder in hand and coaxed him to stop wavering his gaze and instead, to look at him. “Because the Luxor is my home buddy, just like this is yours.”

“But…”

Gabriel interrupted, hoping to stem the tide of Despayre’s emotional outburst before it started, “Despy, I’m still close by. You need to have a little time to yourself, and with Synn here too. Just because we’re not staying in the same places like we used to, doesn’t mean we won’t still see each other a lot. You understand, right?”

Despayre just frowned as his shoulders slumped down, indicating that he clearly was not ready to accept this just yet. He was trying to process what Gabriel wanted him to understand when a sharp shriek from off in the direction of the kitchen alerted the tour group and their heads swerved around past the living room and through the main foyer.

"Oh mi dios! Cuál es éste? Qué sucedió? De dónde este lío vino de de pronto!?" The sharp cry of outrage from a woman gave Gabriel cause to frown and look at his two hosts with a questioning quirk of the brow.

“You all have a woman stashed away for safe keeping or something?”

“Hardly.” Synn snickered. “That’s just Teresa, our housekeeper.” Synn looked down at Despayre who was staring in the direction of the kitchen and gripping Angel tightly against him. “I think she found that little mess we made in the kitchen.”

“We?” Gabriel remarked pointedly as he heard the sharp bang of what had to be a cupboard door and foot falls in the hallway. Sure enough, the plump Hispanic woman, clad in her robe and night gown, set foot past the hall and into the wall frame of the foyer where she laid eyes on all three of them. She had a glass of milk in her hand as she looked at all three of them before her eyes settled on Despayre. Surprisingly Gabriel heard a little whimper emit from the little guy and he hid behind him when Teresa beckoned him forward with her forefinger.

“Joshua.” Teresa said with fierce eyes but a soothing voice. “Come here.”

Despayre just held tightly to his bear with one hand and Gabriel’s shoulders with the other, and shook his head in the negative. She waved her finger again and Despayre practically buried his head in Gabriel’s back to hide. The amusement was evident on all of their faces, Teresa included, at how such a fierce little grappler in the ring who had such a ‘loose cannon’ nature, could be intimidated by this little woman. Of course, Gabriel wouldn’t admit this but he wasn’t quite sure he wanted to test this little firecracker’s temper personally either.

Synn placed a hand on Despayre’s shoulder and coaxed him out from behind Gabriel.

“Come now. We’re just going to go see what it is that Teresa wants. Okay?”

Despayre shook his head fiercely. Teresa shook her own head and took a step forward but Despayre whimpered and took a hasty step back.

“Hey now.” Synn said in a voice that Gabriel didn’t think was possible to come out of the enigmatic man. “Don’t be like that Joshua. Teresa just wants to show you something.” He looked up and over to the woman and shrugged, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was scared of you.”

The blink of surprise came almost instantly to the housekeeper but the smile changed to a mocking frown and she set her hands on her hips. She raised an eyebrow and said in a thick accent, “Let’s not be silly chico, okay? Now, I want an explanation. Come.”

She turned around and headed back into the kitchen, and Synn led the reluctant Despayre in after her with a curious and bemused Gabriel following close at hand. They arrived inside of the kitchen and Teresa stood at the large counter where on the smooth, marble top there were plastic wrappers and microwave pizza boxes littered about, with crumbs strewn everywhere for good measure. She waved her hand at the mess, which also included plates and utensils lying about, then set her hand back on her hip.

“Well?” She asked. “Would you know anything about this mess?”

Despayre looked down, as if embarrassed, and shrugged. “I wanted to make us a snack.”

“And what? You could not be bothered to clean up your mess?” Teresa pointed as she started to gather up the debris on the counter. “Were you raised in a barn?”

“No.” He answered innocently. “Were you?”

Teresa looked up sharply at the remark and Gabriel snorted hard into his hand to restrain the inevitable laughter. He knew Teresa’s question had been lost completely on Despayre but that didn’t stop the little guy’s curiosity from being peaked enough to ask the same thing.

She pointed first at Despayre, and then at the mess on the counter. “I do not see why you make the mess, and expect me to clean it up.”

“You’re the housekeeper!” Despayre answered hotly, raising his voice and startling Gabriel and Synn.

“Stop.” Synn said quietly, and Despayre immediately ceased, knowing his “father” figure’s tone. How ironic. Synn rested a hand on Despayre’s shoulder as the little man’s frown melted into confusion. “Teresa is our housekeeper, yes. She works for us, and we are lucky to have her. But she is not our servant Joshua.”

“Okay.” Despayre mumbled and of his own accord he took a step forward and set Angel on the counter and took a shredded pizza box and deposited it in the garbage. He looked up at Teresa pointedly who gifted him with a slight smile and she proceeded to start the clean up with Despayre helping.

Gabriel leaned over a hint and whispered to Synn, “You actually let her talk to him like that?”

Synn answered, “Trust me Gabriel, she knows the limits. I’ve told her all about Joshua, and his special needs. She knows well enough where not to go and the risks of getting too close. I think she’ll be good for him. He needs the discipline and…”

“Discipline?” Gabriel scoffed. “What about you? I mean, you are his…”

Before he could finish the statement, Synn grasped Gabriel by the arm and not so gently pulled him out of the kitchen and out into the dining room. Synn raised a finger and was about to speak but Gabriel interrupted him before he even had the chance.

“You still haven’t told him, have you?”

“Enough.” Synn stated simply. “Now is not the time. I have enough on my mind for now, settling Joshua into a real home and introducing Teresa slowly into his life. That is not a topic that can just be dropped at his door step.”

Gabriel crossed his arms over his chest and glanced back into the kitchen to watch briefly as Teresa sprayed a cleaner onto the counter and allowed Despayre to pitch in and wipe it down. He looked back to Synn who was also paying close attention to the scene.

Gabriel said, “Are you sure about her? You know how volatile he is. The slightest thing could set him off. Even we don’t know when or where it’ll happen and who’ll get caught in the cross fire.”

“That was a worthy risk I was willing to take when I removed him from Broodmore.” Synn answered. “I know he’ll never be fully cured of his instability, but I can only hope to make him as comforted as possible. Teresa?” Synn sighed. “She’s actually been in my employ for several years. She took care of one of the houses that I sold to buy this one. Joshua needs a female influence in his life, and Fantasia’s so busy with Shane…”

Gabriel smiled, “Since when do you have to hire a woman to hang around you? Women … men, you’d nail `em all.”

“Be that as it may…” Synn smirked. “I need her to do what I cannot.”

Gabriel nodded with his own grin, “Such as tell him the meaning of the word ‘no’? You have got Despy spoiled rotten…”

Synn winked, “Not yet, but I’m getting there.”

“Back!” Despayre yelped as he leapt from the doorway to the kitchen to where the pair was standing. “Miss me?”

“Always.” Synn said, putting an arm around his shoulder, drawing him in. “And Gabriel and I have a little surprise for you.”

“Awww! You shouldn’t have but oughta done it! What is it? What what what?”

Gabriel took a step forward, tucking his hands into his pockets. “Well I talked to Synn here and seeing as how we haven’t seen each other for a while, how would you like to go pack your bag and stay the weekend at my…?”

**WOOSH!!**

Gabriel blinked as Despayre disappeared fast upstairs and he shrugged.

“I guess that was a ‘yes’?” He laughed.

Synn turned to him with a quirked brow but a smile to his lips. “Should I be insulted over how fast he accepted that?”

**********


“So, are you excited?”

“Excited? Of course I’m excited! I always look forward to getting to hang out with my best friend Gabriel!”

“Best friend? I thought I was your best friend.”

“Nowwww! … Don’t give me that look. Gabriel is my best friend but you’re my bestest friend!”

“Okay then! But I knew you would be happy about spending the weekend with Gabe. I was actually wondering about Sunday. You haven’t wrestled for a while. This is the first time you’ve gotten to team up with Gabriel in some time.”

“I know! I can’t wait! Gabriel and I are the best tag team out there. We’re champions you know.”

“How do you figure that?”

“Well we never did lose the titles when we left the AWA, so as far as I’m concerned, we’re still the champions. Oo! Hey! Do you think the SCW bosses will let us be the first champions here because of that?”

“I doubt it. That wouldn’t be fair to all the other tag teams here.”

“What ‘all other’ tag teams? There’s me and Gabe, um…Sinful Poison, and who were we against again this weekend?”

“Team Viagra.”

“Uh… yeah. Them. Wait, are they really calling themselves that? Isn’t that…?”

“Yeah it’s one of those little blue pills that makes a guy’s tally whacker stand to attention and say ‘Hel-LO dere!’”

“What is it with you always saying weird things like that? It might corrupt the fragile little minds watching this!”

“What is it with you always thinking someone is out there watching everything we do?”

“It’s just a feeling I have. Anyway, Gabriel and I are ready for Team uh… Team uh…”

“Viagra!”

“I know! I just have such a block against that name! I don’t know if I like them or not.”

“How come?”

“Well didn’t you see the way Virgin was talking about me?”

“Virgil.”

“Hm?”

“His name is Virgil, not Virgin.”

“Well you say potato. He just made me so mad. He thinks if that partner of his…”

“Who? Eddie G?”

“I guess so. He really hasn’t showed his face around here too much. I think Virg is getting annoyed with him. Eddie G hasn’t even seen fit to talk to us really. So if he’s not willing to give his partner a hand, then why be friends in the first place? Between you and me I don’t think Virgil should put much faith in him. Sure he’ll prolly show up again but so what? He can say whatever he wants but Gabriel and I know that there can only be one winner and that’s us! Well to make a long story short…”

“Too late.”

“Quiet you. Well it’s just that Virgil’s been saying the same things all the other guys have said that Gabe and I have wrestled.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Well he thinks just because I’m a little smaller than the other guys around here, that I have to be the weak link between Gabe and me! I’m not you know!”

“I know, I know. And he’s going to know too when your match is over. Why, I bet when you’re done with him Virgil’ll be on his back so fast you’d think he was on a date with Synn!”

“Yeah! … What does that mean?”

“It means that he’s making a big mistake if he thinks he’ll make you give up and disappoint Gabriel in your first match back together!”

“Is that what he thinks!? Well I don’t care what he says! I’m not going to let me and Gabe lose this match! Virgil just makes no sense! He says Gabe and I are into the dark arts. I’m not artistic. I don’t even like to paint! Unless, you know… I can do it without the brushes. Makes it more fun.”

“I don’t think that’s what he meant by the dark arts, but I know what you mean. They’re going to need more than their A game if they hope to walk away as the winners of this match. And you know what it means that they made this a Texas Tornado match.”


“That they’ll blow worse than normal?”

“No, but that’s a good one! It means that you don’t have to tag in and out. It means all four of you guys will be allowed in the ring at the same time.”

“Really? That kind of defeats the purpose of the term ‘tag team’ doesn’t it?”

“Oh I know what you mean, but it also means you can turn their own strategy against them! Go after the fat guy first. Take him out, and that’ll leave the other one all by his lonesome against you and Gabriel.”

“Yeah! That’s a great idea! Or we could do it the other way around but I’d rather get rid of the fat one. They smell funny when they sweat. Boy! I can’t wait to make them eat their words! They think they can handle me just `cause I’m little! Well you know what they say about dynamite!”

“That they got short fuses?”

“I… guess so. Is that what they say?”

“Uh huh. And it fits you too buddy. You and Gabriel have this match won already. They might as well just forget the match introductions and announce you as the winners. Skip the middle man I say!”

“Yeah! Are you with me!?”

“I’m with ya buddy!”

A gleeful Despayre picked his overnight bag up and slung it over his shoulder and then grabbed Angel, tucking the teddy bear under his arm. He hurried over to the door of his bedroom (it’s all his!) and pulled it open to find a startled Teresa on the other side.

“Oh! Hi!” Despayre greeted her. “Bye!”

He hurried down the stairs, Teresa watching after him. She turned back around to his bedroom door, which was wide open and leaned inside to look around. She saw nobody else in there and then looked back down toward the stairs and shook her head.

She muttered, “If they ever ask the women of Las Vegas who has the craziest boss I think I’ll win hands down!”

>

"A teddy bear does not depend upon mechanics to give him the semblance of life. He is loved - and therefore he lives."