Silver frowned, feeling the sharp panic, the fear inside him. Fear over her. He tried to hide it but she could feel it, faint and deep inside.
"Hey," she sat up, arms still around him, and looked into his face. "Hey, what's wrong? We're okay now. You're breathing. You're alive. I'm okay. I'm alive. We're okay now, Gabriel." She smoothed his hair again and sniffed, tears still falling as she blinked.
He keeps his eyes fixed on Miki, still running his fingers through Silvers hair.
Its okay. She doesn’t have to care about me. It’s okay. I have to take her in anyways.
But- But her family.
Shadow pointed to a parking garage “I could hack in from up their”
Cage nods, gulping down his fear.
“That sounds… smart.”
He tightens his grip around his own stomach and forces a smile. Once Shadow look away he took Leo’s hand.
“Hey, sorry, I’m not used to doing these kind of things really. Ben really doesn’t like me to. But I’ll help out as much as I can.”
“It’s fine” he reassuringly
Shadow started walking towards the parking garage “the top to levels being rebuilt but they gave up and just said that that area was off limits.”
Silver saw him glaring at Miki and glanced at her over her shoulder. Her sister sat crosslegged, elbows on her knees, chin in her hands, glaring back at Gabe. She raised her eyebrows at Silver and Silver could feel the anger and pain and frustration and fear now directed at her.
Torn between Miki and Gabe, feeling and absorbing both of their emotional storms, Silver's heart almost stopped. It was so much.
But then she looked back at Gabe and she thought she understood. Caught between two people she loved, two people who both thought the other would hurt her.
"Oh, no." She whispered and laid her head down on Gabe's shoulder again.
Help. I can't do this. Not right now. I love you both. Please don't make me fight for both of you.
She grasped a handful of Gabe's hair and stopping holding back her tears, letting the sobs out.
Gabriel slips his right arm around her back and under her wings, and presses his cheek against hers. He peels his eyes off of Miki and brings his left arm around, pulling Silvers wing across his lap and beginning to gently preen it with expert care.
I can’t just not bring her back. What would they do to Kissa if I failed?
I can’t just take her, she has family here.
“It’s fine” he reassuringly
Shadow started walking towards the parking garage “the top to levels being rebuilt but they gave up and just said that that area was off limits.”
(XD they just gave up on the construction? XD)(lol)
Cage nods. “Ok. Just coach me through what I should do.”
Her sobs came harder as he held her close and she poured her energy unto him, finally feeling a small respite.
I need you both. I can't pick. Don't make me choose between you.
She tried to control her hiccuping sobs so she could speak but they wouldn't calm.
I can’t protect them both. It’s Kissa or Silver.
Kissa or Silver…
Gah, this shouldn’t be this hard!
He glares back over to Miki.
Silver already has someone. I’m all Kiss has got.
She finally caught her breath enough to speak. "I need you too." She choked, still clinging to him. "You know what I've been through. You help me control my powers. Miki can't do that. She's normal. Thank goodness, she's normal, but she can't help me like you do. She can't replace you, Gabe."
Kiss needs me more. You’ll have to do with just Miki.
He looks down to Silver, forcing a very, very faint and pale smile.
You'll be fine.
She could feel a shift inside him. He'd made up his mind about something. She looked up at him, tears still dripping from her chin, but her breath steady now. She gently wiped his face from the tears he had shed. "Please?" she whispered. "It'll be okay. I won't abandon you, I promise. No one could replace you."
I know. I know. But I have to leave. I’ll take someone else.
He runs his fingers down her feathers again.
“I know.” He quietly states.
She smiled and relaxed, letting out a shaky breathe as her chest calmed down from her sobs. Finally. She laid her head on his shoulder again and hugged him. "Good."
Now I have to figure out what to do with Miki.
He looks up to the starry morning sky and sighs inwardly.
I’ll be back soon, Kiss. I won’t let them hurt you.
Silver closed her eyes, resting on him for a few moments before bracing herself with a deep breath and turning to face Miki.
Her sister sat, trapped in the invisible box of silence Silver had subconsciously made, face wet with tears as she watched her little sister cry and be comforted by someone else while she could do nothing.
With a cringe Silver flicked her hand and brought the box down, hardly even realizing what she had done. When Gabe was in a panic and not breathing, her only thought was to keep Miki close but keep her presence from bothering Gabe while he recovered. Now she released Miki from the invisible prison and braced herself for Miki's retaliation.
Gabe watches as Miki is freed and subconsciously glares again. He arches his wings behind him, ready to put them around Silver if necessary.
Dont touch her.
Miki took a deep breath and pointed at Gabe. "Who is that?"
Silver swallowed. "He's my friend."
Miki pressed her lips together in an angry line. "He tried to attack me, Sil. Then he ran off with you. Why were you crying on him? Why does he have wings? Why do you have wings??"
Silver subconsciously squeezed Gabe's arm, trying to keep her emotions in check. "I… I was taken. By bad people. They experimented on me and… and some others. Gabe is one of them. He was just trying to protect me because you're normal and we're being hunted cuz we escaped. I'm sorry. I didn't remember you and then I did and I had one of my panic attack things and usually things get broken when I do that so he was just trying to help. He didn't know who you were."
Miki glared at him, her lips still pressed together, hands fisted. "I've been looking for you for five years, Sil."
Silver nodded. "I know. It's okay. I'm here now and I won't leave again."
Miki got up and dusted her jeans off. "Well, come on. Let's go home then and get you away from… him." She waved a hand toward Gabriel.
Silver jumped up, placing herself between Miki and Gabe. "No, Miki. You can't take me away from them now. You have to come with me. I can't leave them and I can't be in public without Gabe. He makes me wings invisible so no one will see me. I can't live in the city anymore."
Miki sighed, taking in Silver's great arching wings. She knew her sister was right. After a moment she managed, "Are they all like him? Are they all monsters?"
Silver's eyes flashed as anger flared in her veins and without thinking she lifted her hand and slapped Miki across the face. "We're not monsters! Don't call us that! And don't call Gabe that!"
Gabriel calmly stood, a sober look falling over his face.
I am a monster. But I’m not an experiment.
His wings disappear and he nods to Miki.
Will you shut your big mouth and actually take care of her?
Miki's mouth dropped open and she froze. Silver gasped and looked at her hand as if it had betrayed her.
"Miki, I– I'm so sorry. I didn't mean–" her eyes filled with tears again. "Im so sorry." Slowly she crumpled to the ground again, tears streaming once more. "I'm so sorry! I can't do this. There's too much. I can't take it all. I didn't mean to hit you, I promise!"
Miki swallowed, blinking away the pain and knelt in front of her sister.
"Hey. It's okay, babe. I'm sorry too. I don't know what you've been through. I don't even really know who you are anymore. I got scared because your friend tried to take you away and– and you both look terrifying. I thought I finally had you back and I didn't want to lose you again." She cupped Silver's face in her hands and tilted her head back to look at her. "It's okay, baby. I'll learn who you are now. I still love you. We'll make it together. Like we always have, yeah?"
Gabriel takes a step back and fold his wings behind him. Their meeting seemed unrealistic compared to how him and Kiss had reunited. It was… messy.
He tugs at the collar of his shirt, wanting to breathe, but it seemed nearly impossible.
I miss Kissa.
He takes another step back and watches the girls. He’d already decided he hated Miki, but if Silver liked her than he could tolerate her.
i need to leave.
Silver nodded. "I'm sorry, Miki. I just… I just want to go home. We should get back. It's getting light. Let's go home."
"Okay. Where's home?"
Silver turned, seeking out Gabe. She didn't know where Ben's house was in relation to where they were. She saw him shrinking away and scrambled to her feet, wiping the tears off her face. "Hey. Hey, Gabriel. It's okay. What's wrong?"
He looks past Silver and her wings disappear. He takes her hand and marches past Miki.
Right. Take her home then leave.
Miki opened her mouth as if to say something, but Silver waved her to follow them and she hurried to catch up. Silver grabbed Miki's hand with her free hand, sniffing away the remnants of her tears. Gabe was upset, deep in side. She could feel it now that she was close to him again. She gently squeezed his hand and pressed her cheek onto his shoulder for a moment as they walked.