The One and Only...Victor Frankenstein

Chapter 19 ~ Father?

A/N: So I'm a terrible person and it's been over a year, life got busy, depression is a thing. But hey I'm back and have a super long chapter with a hell of a lot of speech to make up for it ;)

The memories of the pleasure I endured the night before left a warm tingle in my chest. As he was leaving for work Victor had pressed a soft kiss to my cheek, Igor hadn't witnessed it but such a public display of Victor's love gave me comfort. Reassurance that I was worth more than a simple one night of euphoria. He had started his plans for Finnegan's man and Finnegan has requested that Victor visited everyday visited to keep him updated in any new developments. 

As I glance around the rather large space we live in I couldn't help but notice that everything looked better, brighter, more life like.

Was this how being loved felt?

"Some one loves me," The words leave my lips as a surprise, but they're true. A smile spread across my face and for a moment I almost forget the feelings of doubt I was terrified of. But then a knock at the door brings me out of my trance.

***

Igor ran his finger gently over her bare shoulder lightly caressing the skin. She hummed in appreciation and he could feel the slight vibration of the soft skin under his coarse fingers.

He was amazed by every part of her. They had been in this position before only in his dreams, her gentle frame tucked under his, their legs locked together. He prayed she'd never release him from this fantastical hold.

Her large eyes looked up at him, assessing his face. One that she had often looked upon with pity, she now starred up at in lust and admiration. How could one man, with such a brilliant mind make her feel such things.

***

"Victor...truly respect me as a scientist...something you can't control..." I can hear the faint mutter of Igor's voice from outside the door. I can tell he is hesitating to enter. Something felt different between to two of them since Gordon's death. The fight they had splintering a great partnership. But I didn't fear, the two of them needed each other far too much for them to stay in this broken state. 

I can hear another voice too, deeper, the voice speaks with eloquence like a gentlemen. The door opens revealing a tall well dressed older man, he looks suspiciously familiar and I can't help but feel something in my chest. He has a cold demeanor and poor Igor trails after him looking just as scared and confused as I feel. 

The man marches past me leaving a cold feeling in the air, Igor and I make eye contact and he knows I require answers.

"Who is he?"  

"I have no idea, but he called me Igor, said someone was worried about me," No one could've known he was called Igor except Victor and I. So if this man knew someone else called Igor, who was he?

Igor continues into the Study with the stranger, I move to the door I can tell that Victor is frustrated by the way he moves.

 "I'm busy- father!?" It's almost childlike the way he jumps up from his chair to confront the two men in his study, "Y-you came for christmas?" Victor had never spoken of his father much, I had assumed that they were not close and by the way Victor seemed hopeful that this was why he was here I supposed my assumption correct.

"No Victor. Sit." Victor does so without hesitation and it makes me wonder what kind of father this man was if he could control Victor so easily. "Leave." Igor hesitates looking at Victor for some kind of sign he should stay. Victor would not meet his eyes. 

Without another word Igor left the room, I move to grab his arm before he goes my fingers tightening reminding me how thin he really is. We make eye contact and he understands that we should listen. 

"Father, I'm so excited to tell you, I've had great breakthroughs with my experiments-"

"I don't care." Victor's father spoke into the fire, never once addressing Victor; I watched timidly as throughout their discussion Victor lent further and further forward in his chair, trying to force himself into his father's eye-line.

"My theories- listen father, my theories, they were all correct-" His voice is filled with a hope, a longing that his father will listen, will appreciate anything that  he has to say.

"Victor, I don't care about your disastrous experiments, or poorly researched theories-" I cringe, I can't imagine the pain of not having a close bond with your parents would feel like. I had always been close with my mother and father, even now that they are both gone I stil feel close to them in so many ways.

"Yes, but that's what I'm-" 

"Victor, silence." The harsh tone in his fathers voice makes Victor fall quiet, the smile dripping off of his face. "When you were smaller I always had a great anxiety about you. Your mother and myself always saw that you had a capacity to ruin things. Do you remember all the things you ruined." The sentence was less of a question and more matter of fact. What could Victor have ruined that made his father feel such hatred towards him. Surely the bond of father and son was stronger than a broken book or window. 

"Do you recall what I said about your experiments." His very presence made the room feel colder than it was.

"Yes-" I looked over to Igor, he too looked on in concern. For a moment I wondered what Igor was muttering to himself before he entered the house, or better yet where he had gone at all. When he had left in the morning he announced that he would be back in a few hours without giving any indication of where he was going. Perhaps it had something to do with the girl he had seemed fond of at the club.

"I said your experiments were of ill repute. I told you not to become a doctor. The modern doctor is a wasteful man, I said, many times. He cannot accept that death is the inevitable, inescapable conclusion of life. He tries to "beat the reaper." " Victor's father held nothing back, part of me wanted to say something, the other part was too scared. "This is futile. I have told you this many thousands of times throughout your childhood, as it is a lesson, as you know, that cost me a great deal."

So Victor had always been like this, the idea of a smaller Victor trying to bring things back intrigued me. What had caused him to be so fascinated with cheating death? Not only this but what was the great deal of loss Victor's father spoke of. The whole scenario hurt my head, here the man I love stood being scolded like a child by his father for doing what he loved. 

" But- you see that's what I wanted to tell you, I've done it- I mean I  can show you, I've finally..." His father stared blankly back into his sons eyes, I saw as Victor froze his eyes flittering to the small piece of paper in his fathers hand.

"Yesterday I received a telegram, informing me that you are to be called before the board of directors of the college. They say you neglect schoolwork. They say you behave strangely. They intend to expel you. Did you know this?" His voice is cool, calm and calculated.

"I- expel me, they can't-" Victor attempts to string together a sentence but is shortly interrupted 

"Can't they?" I feel my heart ache, Victor was a genius, he didn't deserve to be treated this way. Those at the college should be rewarding him instead of kicking him out. The old fools didn't know how to accept new ideas. "Luckily you are of age where I no longer need to take responsibility for your faults and failings. If the board asks me to speak in your hearing, I will tell them you never should have been admitted in the first place."

Victor fell back into his chair, I watched as he wouldn't even raise his eyes to look upon his father.

"I-I'm sorry,"

"Apologies. Are. Meaningless. How many times must I tell you." His father stands up and leaves, just like that, leaving Victor sitting, silent.