In honor of the holiday, I decided to archive this CBing RP I posted two years ago today.
The sun had already started its descent into the horizon, blanketing the landscape in colorful hues of reds, yellows, oranges and blues. The household of Synn and Despayre was quiet on this the Valentine's Day of 2012. There was little planned that did not befit the holiday, so almost everyone would be busy (or getting busy), save for one;
Despayre, himself.
Shane and Fantasia had already taken their leave to go out for a romantic, candlelight dinner for two and a show afterwards. Gabriel and Synn had already made a bet with one another over whether or not Shane and Fantasia would make it to the show before finding a quiet place where they wouldn't be disturbed to enjoy ... one another's company? Synn himself had made plans to spend some time with Sean on this day, taking him to one of the better restaurants in the 'City of Sin'. That left Rage and Gabriel. Gabriel, who had been injured during the course of Climax Control (pun intended), had been coerced by the young man who was like a little brother to him, into staying at the house during his recovery. Despy, as he was affectionately known, was taking very good care of Gabriel, of course with a lot of helpful advice from Angel. It was nothing that lots of Cherry Coke and episodes of Looney Tunes couldn't cure, after all.
Still, Gabriel was getting a bit antsy. The brace on his knee kept him from being too mobile but he didn't want to be cooped up inside all night, whether it was Valentine's Day or not. He couldn't go out drinking because of the pain killers and muscle relaxers the doctor had him on, so Rage was just a phone call away and...
"C'mon Despy." Gabriel said as he stood at the door frame of the kitchen, watching the young man place a decorative glass dish of ice cream in the freezer. "Why don't you want to go to a movie with Rage and me?"
"I can't." Despayre answered as he shut the freezer door and turned and started making another sundae. "I have plans."
Gabriel said, "You don't know what you're missing. Me hyped up on drugs and a scary movie is comedy gold, bud."
Despayre smiled and giggled lightly. he had already been privy to what Gabriel could be like on these medications when they watched the sci-fi classic "Aliens" two nights ago and Gabriel had kept shouting advice to the characters on screen -- the aliens. Despayre had practically laughed himself hoarse that evening.
Rage stepped up into the door frame and said, "Yeah, c'mon. bring the bear and let's go."
"What are you guys going to see?" Despayre asked inquiringly, sprinkling a generous amount of Skittles on this sundae.
"Woman In Black." Rage answered. "Has that punk who played Harry Potter in it."
Gabriel nodded, "Yeah, and my meds are kicking in so by the time it starts I'll be good to go. C'mon."
"I can't."
"Why not?" Rage asked.
Despayre looked up and smiled brightly as he picked the sundae up to put it away. "I have a Valentine's Day date."
"A date?" Gabriel repeated and he raised a brow, looking at Rage who had the same puzzled expression.
Despayre nodded, "Mm hm."
"With who?" Gabriel asked.
"I can't say." Despayre shrugged as he turned and opened up a grocery bag and started pulling out candles.
"Why not?" Was asked and answered with a shrug.
Rage asked, "Do we know her?"
Despayre shrugged again. Gabriel frowned and looked to Rage who just shrugged himself, not knowing what to make of the situation.
Gabriel turned back to him as he slipped on his jacket. He asked, "Why can't you tell us?"
Despayre said, "Because it's a secret." He looked up as he started to put the candles in glass holders. "She doesn't even know."
"Ohhhh. I see." Gabriel nodded. He turned to Rage and shrugged. "Well that makes sense. Sure you won't change your mind?"
Despayre shook his head and continued on with his preparations. "Have fun!" He said. "Bring Angel back some popcorn with LOTS of butter!"
"You got it!" Rage called as he and Gabriel retreated from the kitchen.
Rage cast Gabriel a sidelong glance as they stepped out into the chilled, Las Vegas air. "Should we be leaving him in the house alone?" Rage asked.
"He's not alone." Gabriel answered. "Teresa's home."
They started towards Rage's car when they stopped suddenly at the same time and turned and looked at each other.
Valentine's Day had been an extremely difficult day for her, ever since her beloved husband passed away almost ten years ago. They had been married almost twenty-five years and not a day since has passed by without her thoughts in remembrance of this special, special man. they had been so happy, that neither of them could have foreseen him being struck down with Leukemia, from out of nowhere. When you love somebody, really love them, you would gladly give yourself up to save the life of the one whom you hold most dear.
Teresa sat by her husband's beside for so many days and nights and watched the man she loved more than life itself slowly die. He put on a brave front but she could tell he was in pain, and suffered. She did everything she could to make him comfortable. he fought this disease, but in the end it was not enough. He passed away in his sleep and she mourned him every day since.
It was a year after the funeral that she packed up her bags and moved to the United States in an attempt to start a new life. It was not long after that that she came into the employ of Synn as his housekeeper of an estate he held in New York. When he told her he had sold the house, she feared for her job and future, but the normally enigmatic and surly man assured her that her fears were unwarranted. He wanted her to move with him to his new home in Las Vegas and take up her responsibilities there. It was quite an offer, and showed her a side buried deep beneath his dark exterior that few would come to understand.
And in this new home she would be taking care of, there would be a new addition, Synn explained. A young man with a troubled mind and difficult past would be living there. And the boy of a mere nineteen years indeed wasa handful, him and that ever present teddy bear of his. Synn gave her a careful explanation of the boy's past and the barriers she was not to cross.
She had shared with Synn as well. She had told him about her personal loss, and the painful memories this day caused for her to feel. Synn said nothing in regards to this, but subtly he had made certain that each Valentine's Day since he had hired her, she would have off. It was an unspoken 'bond' between the two where words were not needed to express one another's appreciation.
Sitting on her bed in her room, Teresa gazed lovingly at the picture on her dresser, the one where she sat in the forefront in a garden with her husband standing behind her with an arm draped around her shoulder. It would be another difficult night to get through on her own and...
"Teressssaaaaaa......!"
Joshua's frantic call came from downstairs. She looked up wide-eyed and knew that everyone else had went out for their own plans for the evening. She hadn't even known the boy was still at home. Why didn't Gabriel or Rage take him out to the movies with them?
She quickly got up from her bed and placed her robe on over her night gown. Lord, if something happened with Joshua while Synn was out....
She pulled her bedroom door open and looked out into the upstairs hallway.
"Joshua?"
"I'm downstairs!" His voice called. "Can you come downstairs? Pleeeeeease?"
She sighed. She knew that he probably wanted her to put a pizza in the oven for him or make him another Cherry Coke float. It was her night off but he was a sweet boy with simple needs. She wouldn't have been able to say no, even if she wished it.
"I'm coming." She called back and tying the belt around her robe to hold it closed, she started down the hall to the stairs.
...
Her foot met the soft carpeting at the base of the steps and she looked around. The sun had been down for an hour and the inside of the house was dark save for the few lights Synn always kept on for comfort and security purposes. But there was a strange glow coming from the direction of the kitchen which caught her attention. She started down the large foyer which led into the hallway.
"Joshua?" She said as she neared the frame of the door. "What are you...?"
She turned into the kitchen and was unable to finish her question.
In the kitchen stood Joshua in his plain clothes but with a hastily knotted tie of Synn's around his neck, and holding Angel who was clad in a darling little tuxedo outfit she herself had bought as a gift from Build-A-Bear. On the marble counter were a handful of lit candles in an array of reds, whites and pinks. And in front of the candles were two plates, each bearing a large cupcake with thick, white frosting on it and Valentine's sprinkles on the icing. Two forks draped across each plate and in two of Synn's best crystal goblets was ... yes, Cherry Coke.
"What is this?" She said, holding her voice as steady as she could.
"Happy Valentine's Day!" He ran up and gave her a fierce embrace, catching her completely off guard. "You're my Valentine's Day date!"
The boy had always seemed to be afraid of her and here he... she quickly wiped her eyes with her finger tips and looked up at his hopeful face with a smile.
He raised his brow and asked, "Do you like sundaes?"
"I love them." She asked and took his offered arm and Despayre and Angel escorted her to the counter.
...
They spoke quietly to each other as Angel sat on the counter, away from the candles. Spoons digging into the ice cream treats and the tattered remains of the cupcakes evident to the evening. Neither of them saw Rage and Gabriel peeking in the window and watching with smiles on their faces.
