Prince of Darkness vs Prom Queen 05

"C'mon. You must've done that with Laci. You two were there for a month. There must've been a little naked running."

"Victor, I remember naked. I don't recall much running. We pretty much stayed stationary. Now can we please stick to the topic? Laci. Gift. Anniversary. Any ideas?"

"What about designing another special piece of jewelry for her? She says everybody compliments her on that bracelet and she's so proud to tell them you designed it. She'd like something like that."

"I'm sure she would, but it's not special enough. It's hard when she never expects anything or seems to need anything."

"Donovan, she's happy. You've given her love and a family. That's why she doesn't need anything. You should be proud of yourself."

Donovan leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. "I can't say I'm proud of myself. I'm proud of her for accomplishing everything she has and not having any sense of entitlement. That's what my family is like and you know how I feel about them. Laci deserves something she'll never forget. I want to do that for her, but I don't know what to do. Nothing I've thought of seems right."

"Ask Noodle-bug."

"Matthew is five months old. Perhaps when he's older he may be of some help, although considering that he's spending his formative years in your care, I have serious doubts that he will be."

"I'm telling you, Donovan, he's a genius. Ask him. I'll bet he'll know the perfect thing."

"And if he's out of ideas, maybe I can ask Virgil. Or Virgil. I'm sure one of them can help and probably more than you're helping."

"You know, Donovan, Virgil isn't real fond of you but he's known Laci longer and he really likes her so he might help. On the other hand, Virgil loves both you and Laci but he's only lived here a couple of months. Can't believe he'd be much help but no harm asking."

Donovan was attempting to rub the growing headache from his temples. "I was being sarcastic. Do you honestly expect me to ask a stuffed unicorn, a dog, and a five month old for advice? I was asking for your help. You're supposed to be my assistant. That means you assist." He looked up as though asking for divine guidance. "What the hell am I saying? I'd probably be better off with the damned unicorn. At least I know where I stand with him."

"I'm telling you, Donovan. Ask Noodle-bug. He knows everything. Kid's a genius."

Donovan sank down into his chair. "And thank goodness he is. It's probably the only thing that will get him safely through his childhood with you. Thanks, Victor."

"Anytime. I'm always here."

"Yes you are."

Chapter 3 More Helpful Advice

Several doses of aspirin later, Donovan was still sitting at his desk when he caught some movement from the corner of his eye. The light of his life was standing in the doorway. "Laci! I wasn't expecting you home so early."

He loved how quickly she made it across the room and into his arms. "Had a slow day, so I thought I'd surprise you. I ran into Victor as I was coming in. He and Virgil are taking the boys for a walk."

"Good thing he's got Virgil with him," Donovan grumbled. "I'm not sure Victor could find his way back. He had a dream about opening a BDSM club with a haunted house theme. He wants to call it Club Transylvania and wear a cape. I'm trying to decide who is more at fault: me for employing him or my cousin for marrying him. Tell me again why we trust him with our child."

Together they sank down on the sofa. "Donovan, you adore Victor and he's great with Matthew."

"I adore you. I tolerate Victor and let's reserve judgment on how great he is for a few years. We may rethink that when Matthew and Jeremy start running around wearing capes."

"All little boys go through the superhero phase. I don't think we can blame that on Victor, although he'll probably enjoy playing the arch-villain."

"But Club Transylvania?"

"Are you going to wear a Wolfman costume? You'd make a very sexy Wolfman. Virgil will fall in love with you all over again. He'll think you're one of his pack."

He was pretty sure his headache was returning. "Damn it, Laci. You have to stop spending so much time with Victor. I'm not sure I could handle it if you went over to the dark side, too."

"Interesting comment coming from the Prince of Darkness."

Donovan groaned. "Please let's change the subject. How are you?"

She leaned over to kiss him. "I'm fine, but it sounds like you had a rough day."

"I was just asking Victor a question. Just one question. Not even a big one and suddenly we're talking about robotic bats." He sighed. "I thought we were changing the subject. Done any shopping lately?" he asked hopefully. "Anything you need to get? Anything you want?"

"No, I don't think so. Virgil needs some food and Matthew could probably use more diapers but Victor handles that. Why? Did you need something?" she asked.

"No. As long as we have plenty of diapers and moose chow, I'm good."

"Donovan, are you trying to hint about our upcoming anniversary?

He did his best to sound surprised. "Do we have an anniversary coming up? Already? Seems like we just had one. Time sure flies doesn't it. Anything I should be thinking about, anniversary-wise?"

"The only thing you need to think about, anniversary-wise, is that I love you."

"I love you, too, but I meant gift wise. There must be something you want."

She smiled at him. "I know I don't make it easy at gift giving times but I truly have everything I've ever wanted. How about some sunflowers? They've been my favorite for as long as I can remember. I'd love some sunflowers."

"Sunflowers? Sure. I can do sunflowers. Sunflowers are good."

"You know, we have some time before Victor gets back. Is it possible I might be able to interest you in a pre-anniversary 'insta-fuck'?"

"'Insta-fuck'? Sure. I can do an 'insta-fuck'. 'Insta-fucks' are good."

"Since you're so agreeable, how about a 'super-colossal-mega-fuck'?"

He looked at her with suspicion. "Are you pregnant again? I thought we agreed on just having Matt? I mean it's fine if you are, it's just that I want to start building my stamina for when your hormones kick in. I'm not sure I can handle the next few months of your hormones without any training."

"As far as I know, I'm not pregnant, however, my usual hormones kick in every time I see you, so maybe we should start a new training regimen for you right now."

Donovan grimaced slightly. "Sure. I can do an 'insta-fuck'. 'Insta-fucks are good."

A few hours and two 'super-colossal-mega-fucks' later, a tired Donovan was sitting quietly with Matthew and no closer to figuring out what to do for his anniversary.

"Well Matt, I don't know which is more exhausting, an afternoon with your mom or a conversation with Victor." He thought for a moment. "I guess I'll vote for Victor. Talking to him gives me a headache. Spending the afternoon...discussing fireplaces with your mom is a lot more fun. Good exercise too. Not to mention increased levels of endorphins. I've heard that a lot of really good sex increases longevity. At the rate we're going, I'm going to live until at least 300! That has its good points and its bad points. It means a lot more...fireplace conferences but also a lot more anniversaries."

Matthew gurgled in response.

"I know what you mean. Well, Victor was no help. No surprise there. Virgil number one stared with his usual malice. Stupid unicorn hates me. Why? Just because I get to snuggle with her now? Maybe I'm a better snuggler. And it's not my fault I have a better name. Virgil. I wasn't the one who named him, you know. That was her idea but does he blame her? No. I'm the one who gets the beady eyed stare."

Matthew seemed to be making appropriately sympathetic sounds.

"Thank you. At least someone understands. Virgil number two wasn't much better. Why the hell did she want to name him Virgil? Should have named him something like Moos-topher. Or Moos-tastic. What's so great about the name Virgil? Damn good thing she liked the name Matthew so she didn't name you Virgil, that's all I can say. Virgil. Stupid name for a unicorn and a dog. Hate that name."

Matthew watched with interest when Donovan shook his head.

"I still don't know what to do for our anniversary. I've been thinking about it for weeks. I keep listening, hoping she'll drop a little hint, but I got nothing. Let me tell you Matt, when you get older and have a wife of your own, you're probably going to have this same problem. A word of advice. Do not ask Victor. He wants to open Club Transylvania. How does his mind work? There are at least a million reasons why that's a terrible idea. Besides, I was asking about something for your mom, not about some club with bats. I have to think of something for our anniversary."

"Gurgle."

"I know, and don't get me wrong. I'm glad she's happy. I'm pretty sure she makes you happy and I know she makes me happy so I want her to be happy. It's kind of interesting when you suddenly realize that someone else's happiness is more important than your own. I think she figured that out a long time ago. It took me awhile longer, probably because I wasn't ever expecting it. When I saw her that very first time, I never would have believed I'd be married to her although I never believed I'd be married at all. I guess I got really lucky. She's pretty damn wonderful but she's also the most uncomplicated complicated person I've ever known. Good thing I'm going to live until I'm 300. At least then I might have a chance of figuring her out."

Matthew appeared to be disagreeing.

"Yeah. You're probably right. Going to take a lot more than 300 years to figure her out. So, what do you think? Sunflowers? Hell, I could have somebody come in and plant sunflowers all over the damn place and she'd love it but it's not special enough. Last year she gave me the picture of the peanut which turned into you and that was pretty special. And remember how I told you about the ring in the pizza box? That was special. I need peanut and pizza box special." He looked down. "Victor said I should ask you. He says you're a genius. Okay genius. Now's your chance. Got any bright ideas?"

He could swear Matthew was actually thinking.

"See what I mean? Not so easy is it? Nothing seems right. There has to be something she wants."

Matthew erupted in a loud cacophony of burbles and spurtles and gurgles and a few ferocious kicks.

Donovan looked at him with a slightly perplexed frown. "Say that again."

Another even louder eruption.

"That could work. I mean she's never actually asked for it but it could work. I wonder how she'd feel about it. Do you think she'd like it? Is she telling you stuff she's not telling me?" he asked suspiciously.

He could swear Matthew was frowning at him.

"Okay. Sorry, but it's a good idea. In fact, it's a great idea. It's going to take a lot of work and there isn't much time, but I know a few people who can help me. I think she'd like it and I'm pretty sure it would make her happy. Okay! I'm going to give it a shot. This is just between us. Virgil hates me. He'd sell me out in a minute. Dog-moose is a little more loyal but he could probably be persuaded with a barrel of moose chow. And not a word to Victor. He can't keep a secret for anything and he'd probably spill everything he knows for a serving of moose chow, too. Hey! You really are a fucking genius. Sorry for the bad words. I'm still working on that, but you really are a fucking genius. Maybe you can talk some sense into Victor. Start by telling him Club Transylvania is a really bad idea. He listens to you."

Chapter 4 Friendship

The idea was taking more time and preparation than he anticipated but Donovan was determined. Luckily he knew all the right people to contact for assistance. He called every one of them but he truly did need the help. This was big and it had to be right. He just hoped it would be ready in time.

He was on the phone constantly, checking, questioning, waiting for information, all the while keeping one eye on the calendar that was cheerfully waving and pointing to the rapidly approaching date. What if it didn't go as he was hoping it would? What if he never found exactly what he was looking for? What if it didn't all come together? In truth, he had a backup gift, just in case, but that was only as a last resort. His plan had to work. It had to be perfect.

The hardest part was keeping it from Laci especially since there were times when he swore she knew him better than he knew himself. He had the feeling she knew he was up to something but he truly wanted to surprise her. He was doing his best to keep the secret just in case things did not go as planned, because he also didn't want to see her disappointment.

He pushed the thought of disappointment from his mind refusing to accept it as a possibility. No, to both failure and disappointment! This was going to be great and she was going to love it. It was probably the last thing she would ever expect him to do and he could hardly wait to see the look on her face.

The look on Victor's face was also giving Donovan supreme enjoyment. Victor knew Donovan was doing something major and had been snooping relentlessly, but for once, Donovan wasn't giving him a single clue.

It wasn't that he didn't trust Victor, but this was something Donovan wanted to do completely on his own, plus he was enjoying being able to gloat about Victor's curiosity. Victor always seemed to be one step ahead of him so it was fun to turn the tables for once. Served him right for all the Daddy-bug comments. And the Club Transylvania idea. And the endless hours of annoyance.

Victor wandered into the office. It was about the fiftieth wandering of the day. Virgil number two had just taken his usual place in the corner and was staring his adoring stare which probably meant Matthew and Jeremy were napping. Donovan looked up from his desk. "Something on your mind, Victor?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Whacha doin'?"

"It's called working. It gives me great satisfaction. You might want to consider trying it yourself one of these days."

"Are you saying I don't work?" Victor sounded insulted.

"Not at all. You take great care of Matthew and Jeremy but I seem to recall seeing you spending most of the morning lying on the floor with the boys, entertaining them by wearing bunny ears. Let's be honest Victor. There's work and then there's work."

"Noodle-bug and Doodle-bug liked it and I'd rather stay over here than over at my place. Marian insisted on bringing her housekeeper with her when we moved in. Nothing for me to do over there and the Wicked Witch of the peach state is kinda like my Virgil."

"Sorry, Victor. I feel your pain."

"Thanks. Damn good thing she only works days or I'd be snuggling up with you and Laci at night. She's scary. Probably the reason behind the Club Transylvania dream. In spite of what you might think, I only eat good things before bedtime."

Donovan grimaced. "Victor, I really don't want to talk about or think about what you might be eating at night. Did you want something or is your sole purpose for coming in here to annoy me?"

"You've been busy with something for the last few days and it doesn't seem work related. Even bunny ear work related. Is it your anniversary gift for Laci? What the hell are you planning?"

"Yes, it's my gift and it's also none of your business." When Victor looked as if he was going to protest, Donovan continued, "Victor, aside from the fact that you can't keep a secret to save your life, this is something I want to do on my own. I do have a few people helping but that's mostly to bring everything together. No one really knows what I have in mind and I'd prefer to keep it that way just in case I can't find everything I need. I want to surprise her but if I can't pull it all together, I also don't want to disappoint her and why the hell are you staring at me like that. It's bad enough I can't walk into the bedroom without that damned unicorn giving me the evil eye, but I've also got the dog-moose sitting there in the corner watching me all the time and now you're staring. Isn't there anything else even slightly entertaining in this house for all of you to watch?"

"You're pretty entertaining Donovan, especially when I think back to how unentertaining you used to be." Victor shook his head almost in disbelief. "The day I started working for you I thought you were the emptiest person I'd ever met. It wasn't like you didn't have feelings, it was more like you didn't know you had them."

Donovan shrugged. "Maybe I didn't."

"Working for you suited me. You were solitary. I was a loner. You needed someone to do all the things I knew how to do. I wasn't so much expecting the sex slave thing, but I got used to it. Used to wonder what would become of us. Thought our future was destined to be two lonely, doddering old men, you holding a riding crop and me reminding you why you were holding it and what you used it for."

"Donovan had to smile. "There's a picture."

Victor was smiling back. "Yeah. Marian's filled in a lot of how it was when both of you were younger. I think we grew up very much the same except my family didn't have more money than they could count. I grew up a whole lot more self-reliant but I still don't give a damn about connecting with any of them. Don't even know if any of them are still alive. Funny how you and Marian pretty much feel the same way about whatever family you've got left. Always surprised me about Laci's parents. Can't believe she deserved to be ignored. Seems like she'd be the kinda kid most parents would love to have around. Can't help but make you wonder about people."

"I would have to agree, especially now because of Matt but one of the things I admire the most about her is that she never let it hold her back. She doesn't talk about it very much but she did tell me she spent a long time blaming herself, wondering what she did wrong, why they did what they did. If I thought for even one minute she wanted them in her life, I swear I'd hunt them down and force them to answer to her but she seems to have accepted it and put it behind her. I don't doubt she is truly happy with her life and if she's content, so am I."

"And you did that for her Donovan. Hell, you did that for all of us. I can't imagine my life without Marian and Jeremy. The only thing more shocking than you being a dad is me being a dad. Remember that day Marian told me she'd changed her mind about the adoption and we were getting him?"

"Yes, Victor. As I recall you were stunned into silence. That doesn't happen too often. It was a nice break from the usual mayhem surrounding you."

"I remember when you started to realize you were falling for Laci. I knew there was something different with you that first night. I really knew when I was taking care of her on Kalake and you thought I was fucking her. Damn, you were so mad you were ready to kill me and I mean really kill me, not just the usual empty threat killing me. Me and Marian talked about it all the time. Used to wonder how long it was going to take you to figure it out."

"And if you were so insightful, why didn't you tell me?"

"Doubt you would've believed what I said. You know, Donovan, sometimes you have to figure things out on your own for them to mean anything."

"Can't believe I'm saying this, but you are very wise, my friend. It's a little hard to understand how the same mind that can make a profound assessment like that also thought up Club Transylvania."

"Yeah. We have a strange little family here but it works for us. Hey, Donovan, you haven't talked much about training lately. You're not giving it up are you?"

"Not completely. I've thought a lot about it and right now I want to be here with Matthew. There are a few clients I like working with but now I feel like I can pick and choose what I do and when I do it. Funny to think about but now I feel like I can train because I want to and not because I need to."