jennickels | Girl Genius fanfic: Blast From the Past (Reply)

Tarvek is settling into another semester of university when he runs into someone from his past he thought he never wanted to see again. Now he's not quite sure. Written for Day 2 of Girl Genius Week 2018 on tumblr.
841 words | [PG]

Tarvek slid into a seat in the back corner of his favorite cafe near the university campus. The position gave him a view of the entire cafe and street beyond the large front window, leaving no avenue for ambitious assassins to sneak up on him. He’d spent the time between semesters stuck in Sturmhalten playing politics. His father thought it necessary for Tarvek to stay visible to keep the Fifty Families in line. The only think politicking ever did for Tarvek was raise his blood pressure and paranoia.

Sipping his espresso, Tarvek leaned back in his chair with a satisfied sigh then opened the morning paper with a flick of his wrist. He’d barely finished with the headlines—Student Saves Three in University Lab Explosion—when the door slammed open with a cheer from a crowd gathered outside. He frowned, trying to focus on the front page, but the crowd grew more enthused by the second. Finally, they tumbled into the cafe while other patrons scrambled out of the way lest they get crushed in the chaos.

Someone bumped into his table sloshing espresso over the newspaper. Terrific. Tarvek blotted the coffee with his napkin, but the ink was already running. Not how he wanted to start his return to school after an intolerably boring and aggravating holiday. The mob continued to grow and chant, crowding into the small cafe. Tarvek peered through the throngs to whoever was commanding the center of attention.

“Excusez moi, mademoiselle,” he said as the waitress squeezed past. “Can you tell me what’s going on?”

She let out a huff, ruffling her bangs. “Big celebration.”

“I can see that. But why here? Why now?” He couldn’t avoid the irritation in his voice.

She tapped Tarvek’s soggy paper. “Some kid ran into a burning building. Big hero.”

“Ah.”

She scurried away before he could ask anything else. He scowled at the paper, trying to read the blurry lettering. From what he could gather there was an explosion in one of the labs the day before, and a passer-by—he couldn’t make out the name—ran inside to pull out several injured students. Hero? Sounded like an idiot to Tarvek. Running into burning buildings? Who does that?

Just then the crowd parted enough that he could see the source of the commotion. This boy looked about Tarvek’s age with unruly hair and ill-fitting clothes that were slightly singed and covered in a layer of grime. Apparently, they’d gone straight from the fire to celebrating. All night long. The big hero listed to the side, arm around a girl who gazed longingly at him. Tarvek rolled his eyes. Libertine. Of course. What a-

At that moment, the boy turned his way. Even from this distance, Tarvek could tell there was something familiar about the easy smile and the way he moved. Tarvek tried to put a finger on it. Then the other boy’s gaze found him—his eyes cleared, eyebrows shooting up. It lasted only a second before he spun away, pressing his lips to the girl’s neck.

Tarvek couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. He knew that smile. Those eyes. His heart stopped. “Holzfäller,” he mumbled.

A girl standing near him squealed. “Do you know him?”

His heart lurched into a painful rhythm. “Uh, no,” he mumbled. “Just read about him.”

“Oh.” Her posture deflated. “He’s so beautiful, don’t you think?”

Tarvek snorted, downed the rest of his cold coffee, and grabbed his bag. “Beautiful is not the word I’d use.”

He refused to look back as he snuck through the kitchen to the rear door and out into the alley. Not until then did he let out the breath he’d been holding. He’d dreamed for years about what he’d do if he ever saw Gil again. Hours of daydreaming ways to hurt him—knives and fire and other assorted tortures. He’d considered every single thing he wanted to yell at his ex-friend. He was going to punch him right in his traitorous face.

He laughed at the absurdity of it because, in the end, he fled like a frightened child. He could no sooner punch Gil than forgive him but seeing him let loose a torrent of emotions Tarvek had thought long since bottled up permanently. Standing straighter, he shrugged into his coat. So Gil was a student here. So what? It was a large school. The chances of them having classes together were slim.

This wasn’t a problem. It’s not like Gil recognized him anyway. He probably didn’t even remember Tarvek. The thought sent a pang of sorrow through his chest that he immediately shook off. No, he wouldn’t let Gil ruin his time at university. He’d probably never even see Gil again, and if he did, he’d just ignore him. Easy.

With a plan in place, Tarvek’s racing heart slowed some. He set off for home, hoping to avoid any more of the chaos that always seemed to follow Gilgamesh Holzfäller. Including the chaos dredged up in his own mind.