Nature or Nurture

On the Monday of his first rehearsals, Adison insists on accompanying Vincent to the theatre. She knows he must get used to being among people, but she just needs to be there with him, see how he is treated and how he handles himself.

She finds herself the only spectator, besides the owner of the theatre who is also the director of the play. On the stage, the actors meet. The lead players are a young couple, pretty and well-dressed, with a self-assurance probably greater than their talent.

Then there is the main villain, a really sweet older man, clearly the best actor of the lot. Vincent and him take to each other immediately, and a valuable connection towards the 'real' theatre is made: this experienced actor, though fallen on bad times apparently through opium abuse, can teach him enough about the art of acting to get him to the next stage in due time.

The director envisions the scenes one by one, the players run through them the first few times. From what she can see, Vincent does well. He knows his lines, has rehearsed the drama of his scenes with her carefully in preparation. The other players take to him quit well, except for the male lead, who audibly calls him a freak to the leading lady, clearly his lover. Of course this one will be trouble, Vincent is a direct threat to his position as leading male player.

His girlfriend apparently doesn't share his distaste, she seems quite struck by Vincent even though he's a lot less good-looking than her lover. He has a certain melancholy air well-suited to the theatre. Hopefully she will get her man to guard his tongue, but Vincent doesn't seem to register the nasty comments.

Anyway, the fencing lessons and the succesfull rehearsal have given him an air of quiet confidence, which will be hard to break by someone of good looks but meagre talents. Adison is glad to be here this first time, not in the least to stake her claim to Vincent towards this admiring pretty colleague.

After the rehearsal they get a guided tour through the back of the theater, where all the scenery is kept, as well as the ropes and pulleys for the special effects and the great stage lamps. Adison knows that the doctor would be thrilled to see the great lamps, his fascination with electricity by no means damaged by its horrible effect on Vincent's birth.

Vincent just loves this hidden part of the theatre. The two stage-rats demonstrate some of the tricks, and one can see that it is a very challenging task to run everything smoothly, so the public won't notice. It is hard work for the two strong boys, and Vincent wonders aloud how they manage to communicate with one another in the dark when they have to work quietly. Thrilled with such an interest in their work, they tell him that is is all a matter of closeness and routine. They know eachother so well, and have rehearsed each play for so long, that they think the same and feel the same.

Adison gets the impression that they live together as well, and do a lot more together besides, adding to their closeness. She decides that Vincent must be safe in such a loving environment, where everything revolves around the thing he loves best after her: theatre.

One afternoon after their own fencing practice, Adison sits down next to the doctor, still sweating from their exertions. They are watching Vincent and the swordsmaster spar, and it is quite a sight to behold. The two men are wearing masks and protective suits, necessary at this stage because their blows are delivered with such speed and force that they would certainly kill or maim when striking true.

Which they do often, for the swordsmaster still outclasses his student very much and challenges him to the best of his ability, always one step ahead, and ready to deal a strike whenever Vincent doesn't manage to keep up his defence. Though the strikes don't cut the flesh, nasty bruises do form where the sword hits, and Vincent is probably already covered in them again.

But the armsmaster is not out of danger of getting a few bruises himself. Vincent's sheer strength makes it hard for his teacher to judge each strike, and sometimes one gets through the master's defense, just because the man has not ever met an adversary who looks so normal but is so supernaturally strong.

This keeps fooling him, making these spars very educational for him as well, until he learns to judge his opponent better. With a last strike on Vincent's padded side the swordmaster calls it a day. He greets his opponent formally and leaves. The three remaining discuss what to do next: visit the bathhouse for a hot bath, or stay in and make do with a tepid shower.

The doctor has used his skill with vats, pipes and steam to make an adequate bathroom, but to get a really nice hot bath the boiler needs to be heated for nearly half a day. This takes too much time and fuel to do on a regular basis, making a visit to a bathhouse much easier.

But there Adison is separated from her friends, taking away most of the enjoyment. So because today is a sunny day they decide to use the showers, which the doctor pressures with steam and the water of which is heated during the day by sending the water through long coils of black painted piping on the roof of his house, making the water tepid instead of icy cold.

The bathroom is a really cosy place, where they can all shower together, if they forget about modesty and body shame, which they always do. Standing naked under the lukewarm showers, they all feel very content. Vincent has acquired some colourful new bruises, on top of the older ones already fading.

Feeling a bit sorry for him, the doctor comes closer to take in the damage, and show some sympathy. In doing so he notices the familiar scars from the cuts he put there preparing Vincent for his resurrection. They are hardly visible, and on impulse he touches the one on Vincent's right temple.

'All actions have reactions, Victor,' a husky male voice says, using the doctor's first name for the first time ever, 'have you any idea what you are about to do?'

Adison is watching the scene unfold with some trepidation. She knows the doctor has a deep love for Vincent, but he can hardly guess what will happen if he keeps touching the sensitive scar. The doctor has heard the emotion in Vincent's voice, but he has mistaken it for residual anger over his cowardice at Vincent's birth.

He doesn't want to goad him further, but he feels compelled to complete something, to not run away in fear again. So he traces the scar he caused, down Vincent's temple, across his neck, to his chest, feeling the tension rising in the powerful man, but not wanting to make the mistake of rejecting him once more.

And suddenly he finds himself face to face with Vincent, held in the strongest grip he has ever known. The grip of the yellow eyes is just as inescapable, and the husky voice breathes, 'I have forgiven you your rejection, Victor, and now I find I love you, not like a son, but like a man.'

And he kisses the stunned man straight on the mouth, keeping him in his iron embrace until the other gives himself over to the passion and returns it with a will.

Knowing Vincent better than her own self, Adison of course knows what is going to happen as soon as she sees the heat rising in him at the doctor's touch of his scar. Suppressing a flash of envy, Vincent knows the doctor exactly as well as she herself does, she watches the scene unfold with more than a little heat of her own.

Seeing the man she loves holding a vulnerable and beautiful man in such a death-grip, and witnessing him in his naked glory with all his passion unleashed, she feels nearly more elated than if it were herself that he was holding and kissing so fervently.

She witnesses Victor giving in to his own slowly stirring feelings, and still marvels at his courage to face and even goad what he supposed was the monster inside Vincent. He thought he'd get punished and was ready to take it, as retribution for his former rejection, but he got love instead, love more passionate than he could ever expect to receive. For the doctor has never dared to allow himself feelings this deep, and shallow feelings elicit shallow returns. It is through his connection with two very passionate, fearless friends that he gets to experience a love that is this profound.

Breaking off the kiss before he smothers Victor, whom he still has helplessly caught in his iron grip, Vincent looks around until he meets Adison's eye. Seeing in her understanding, admiration and a decided heat, without the slightest sign of envy or disappointment, he feels relieved and beckons her within his embrace.

She has no hesitation, eager as she is for her own share of this newly found love, knowing Victor already has a decided preference for her, ready to give him as much love as he can handle. Together they lead the slightly stunned young man to their fourposter bed, where they give him time to catch his breath and get back in the now.

Then they show him what feelings his body is capable of, not neglecting eachother in the process. So now the doctor finally knows what they do in that huge bed, when he is waiting to find sleep in his large but lonely bed.

Who would ever have thought that his pride and sacrilege, combined with cowardice and guilt, would bring him a taste of true love? Still wondering, he falls asleep, and rather than banishing him from their bed or even moving him out of the way, they curl up close, each on one side of him, and include him in their warm nest for one night.