Title: Perfect
Fandom: Gargoyles
Author: Apache Firecat
Characters: Goliath/Elisa
Rating: PG/K+
Summary: Elisa's there at the setting of the sun, as she always is these days.
Word Count: 1,703
Written For: Fan FlashWorks 469. Duty, 100FandomHell Fandom #69, and 100 Ships 49. Electric
Date Written: 8 February 2025
Warnings: Cheesy Fluff ;)
Disclaimer: All characters within belong to their rightful owners, not the author, and are used without permission.







She has never been so excited in her life to get off work as she has been these last few weeks. She put in her request to go to days years ago. Even with her seniority, it took some doing to convince her Chief, but at last she is off and free on her nights and able to spend them with her family. With him.

She was never even this excited about a weekend night when she was a child, but then she's always tried her best to care for others around her. She has always been dutiful and duty-minded, always putting others' needs before her. Even now, they spend most of their nights flying through the city and helping those they find in need -- and she has able to do so far more than she's ever been able to do because of the badge shining on her hip. She takes it off, since she's off duty, and slides it into a pocket. Perhaps she should start leaving the thing at home, but her apartment these days is just that -- only an apartment, nothing more or less.

Her home, she thinks, emerging onto the roof top as the sun sets, is right here, with him, with them. She's got her own blood family, of course, and the crew at work, but there is not a single human to whom she has ever felt more attached than this brood of Gargoyles. There is not a single man who has ever touched her heart and very soul as deeply as their leader has, as he does every night, every time she looks into his deep, black eyes, every time she feels his touch, every time he even just speaks her name or she is lucky enough to gaze upon him.

There was a time when she might have taken these nights for granted, but no more. These new friends of hers are majestic creatures, a true miracle in a modern world that sees so very little goodness. It is not simply their being that makes them miraculous but rather their souls. These five males have braver and purer souls than any human Elisa has ever known -- and, she's willing to bet, has ever existed, even back in their time. They could have gone back to their time -- they almost had -- but Goliath had chosen to stay with her, and his family stayed with him.

Her family stayed with him. Tears have sprung to her eyes at the memories as she watches the stone crumbling to rubble. She remembers the time she kissed him just as sunset, and he stayed for a day with the sweetest, broadest grin on his cold, stone face. He makes her feel that way inside every time he touches her. She wishes he'd go ahead and propose so that she can know this can last forever, but she knows, too, that he feels like he needs be able to provide so much more for her. She can't seem to make him understand that he already has, even if she can never walk in the broad daylight with him. Even if he can never accompany her to an office party or be shown off amongst her peers, he is the only one Elisa wants and the only one she will ever want. All human men pale by far in comparison, and she is certain so, too, would all other men of any species.

She knows how lucky she is, and it's all she can do to keep from him as he wakes. The others are yawning and stretching, their rocks falling off, all around her. Bronx barks happily, his tailless behind wagging and throwing more rocks away from him. Elisa is as happy to see the doglike gargoyle as much as he is her, but her eyes stay rivetted on Goliath. Her dark eyes relish the sight of his purple muscles stretching taut, but as the last of the rubble falls from him, she's running again straight to him. Straight to where she belongs.

Goliath catches her. She feels a surge of completion, her heart soaring, as his big, muscular arms wrap around her. The touch of even his wings holding her adds a tingle that she would have compared to a spark of electric at one time, but no longer. There is nothing in this world or time, or any other, she is certain which can compare to the way he makes her feel. He makes her happier than she has ever been. She loves him more than she'd ever thought possible. She wishes this moment could last forever; she would be content to spend all eternity right here, holding and being held by him. She nearly purrs like her pet cat as she rubs her cheek against his leather-like skin. She was never one for leather before, despite her cop calling, but everything about him is perfection.

She finds herself thinking again of the ring box that dropped out of one of the pouches on his belt the other night. She knows she wasn't supposed to see it, but she had been unable to not notice it with the mad scramble he'd made for it. She remembers, the already-smiling corners of her lips rising even higher, how his tail had swished about in his shyness of nearly being caught. She'd let him go; he'd relaxed only when he'd thought she had not seen the box.

But she knows. She knows he's going to propose one of these nights, and her heart soars higher than even the Gargoyles can fly at the thought. She's going to say yes. She can feel the word screaming through the very fiber of her being. "Yes. Yes!" she murmurs, and then stops, realizing she's spoken aloud.

"Elisa? My dearest?" His deep, rumbling voice washes over her, and at the perplexed and concerned look he gives her, she knows she has to let him wait. She has to let him wait until he is ready, even though there is no way she'll decline. There is no power on this Earth or any other that will ever be able to change her mind about wanting to be with him. But she knows he is a being of honor far more than any human, and he will wait until he believes the time is right. Until he believes he can be a worthy husband.

She never used to dream about getting married as a little girl, but these days, it's more and more all she dreams of during what few hours she does sleep. She's taken to sleeping in the day whenever she can like her family. It makes for a messed-up sleep schedule, but her nights are so exciting, so wonderful, and so filled with love and adventure, that it works out. She'd not miss this time with him for anything.

Goliath spreads a large hand gently across her soft, dark hair as he gazes down at her. She laughs, a merry sound of pure joy, and shrugs. "What can I say? I'm just so happy to be with you again tonight." She snuggles into his massive chest and holds him tighter as his regal wings fold back around her. This is perfect! Married or not, being right here in his arms, is always sheer perfection for her!

She never used to dream of becoming a wife or a bride when she was a child. She always dreamed of righting wrongs, fighting the countless injustices of the world, and becoming a cop so she could really do some good in this world. But she does do good, with or without her badge. They do good together as a couple and as a family. They do more good than she'd ever be able to do as a mere policewoman.

Her life is perfect, married or not, as long as she has him. She rubs her cheek against his chest again. As though from a distance, she hears Brooklyn telling Broadway and Lexington that it's time to fly and to discover who needs them this night. She knows they must, but she really just wants to stay right where she is. "I love you," she murmurs as she hears the younger Gargoyles leap away. She can also hear Hudson moving across the rooftop, but she'd not care if the whole world heard her. Indeed, there are times she wants to scream the words at the very top of her lungs to the whole world. She's in love with a far more majestic being than she ever thought could possibly exist -- far better than an average, human man -- and he loves her just as much! She is so lucky!

Goliath lifts her head, cups her head in his far larger hands, and gazes down into her eyes. "And I you, Elisa Maza, forever." He pledges his love with his lips, gentle, as always, not to hurt her.

She's dated before, and any time any guy has ever told her they'd love her and be truthful, faithful, forever, she's never once believed them. She saw what the men around her were like as a little girl after all. But Goliath does not lie. He has far more honor in his little claw than any human man. She knows he speaks true, and she knows their hearts are true. Their love is true! She truly is living her very own happily ever after, even if it takes him years to put a ring on it. And if it does take him another decade or even longer to propose, that's all right. She'd wait forever just to be with him as she is now.

She still doesn't release him after their kiss. Instead, she snuggles in closer. She can hear Hudson laughing across the roof and tells herself he's only playing with Bronx. Even if he's not, she knows he doesn't care. He's happy for them, like a true father should be. He's happy for them for they are happy and complete in each other. "This is perfect," she murmurs joyously, snuggling with Goliath there on the rooftop above the rest of the world for as long as he allows.



The End